Air India Cancels Multiple Flights Following Technical Glitches and Crew Duty Limitations

 An Air India flight bound for Delhi from Milan was cancelled on Saturday after a technical snag was detected during pre-departure procedures. The cancellation was compounded by the operating crew on board AI138 reaching their mandatory flight duty time limit, rendering it unsafe and impermissible for them to continue.

“Flight AI138 operating from Milan to Delhi on August 16 was cancelled due to a maintenance task identified during pushback, and subsequently due to the crew coming under the mandatory flight duty time limitation norms,” an Air India spokesperson confirmed in a statement.

The airline expressed regret over the disruption, assuring that affected passengers in Milan were provided with immediate assistance, including hotel accommodation, full refunds, or complimentary rescheduling options. “Air India sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen cancellation. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain top priority,” the spokesperson said.

In a separate incident, a Delhi-bound Air India flight from Kochi aborted take-off on Sunday due to a technical fault. The departure was rescheduled for 1 a.m. on Monday, with Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) informed that the airline was replacing the aircraft. Congress MP Hibi Eden, who was on board, later posted that he felt the “flight skid on the runway” during the incident.

These disruptions add to a series of recent cancellations. Earlier, Air India called off flight AI349 from Singapore to Chennai due to a maintenance issue identified before departure, and flight AI500 from Bhubaneswar to Delhi because of abnormally high cabin temperatures on the ground.

The repeated technical setbacks have sparked concern among passengers, though Air India maintains that safety-related decisions are made with utmost caution and in full compliance with aviation norms.