New Delhi

An Air India Airbus Airbus A350-900 operating a Delhi–London flight was forced to return to the national capital on Thursday after a suspected technical issue mid-air.

The flight, AI111, which was headed to London Heathrow Airport, made a precautionary return after being airborne for several hours. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and officials confirmed that it is now undergoing detailed technical checks in line with safety protocols.

According to sources, unusual noises were detected during the journey, prompting the crew to take the decision to turn back while the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabian airspace.

In a statement, Air India said it regretted the inconvenience caused to passengers and is making arrangements to help them resume their journey to London at the earliest.

Flight tracking data showed that the aircraft had taken off around 6 am and remained in the air for nearly seven hours before returning to Delhi at approximately 12:30 pm.

Sources also noted that the same aircraft had encountered a technical snag earlier this month, when it was diverted to Shannon in Ireland during a flight from New York to Delhi.

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Air India began operating A350-900 aircraft on its routes in January 2024.