BENGALURU, August 5 — An Air India Express flight (IX2718) en route from Bengaluru was forced to return to its departure airport on Sunday after experiencing a technical malfunction mid-air, the airline confirmed on Monday.
The aircraft remained airborne for some time to burn fuel and reduce landing weight before executing a safe, precautionary landing, in line with standard safety procedures, according to a spokesperson.
“One of our flights from Bengaluru returned to the airport following a technical issue. The aircraft circled to reduce fuel and weight before executing a safe, precautionary landing,” the airline said in an official statement. “We regret the inconvenience and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safety in all aspects of our operations.”
To minimize disruption, Air India Express said it swiftly arranged a replacement flight, allowing affected passengers to continue their journey with minimal delay.
The incident comes at a time when aviation safety is under intense public scrutiny, following the fatal crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, which shook public confidence in both the airline and India’s broader aviation ecosystem. Since then, several in-flight anomalies and emergency landings have reignited debate on operational oversight and technical reliability in civil aviation.
While no injuries were reported in Sunday’s event, experts say that each incident is now magnified in the context of recent developments, demanding greater transparency and stricter adherence to safety protocols.
Aviation authorities are expected to review the technical report of the flight for further assessment.
