New Delhi, August 3:
Air India on Sunday cancelled its flight AI349 from Singapore to Chennai after the Airbus A321 aircraft scheduled to operate on the route developed a technical snag.
In a statement, the airline said the flight was grounded due to a maintenance issue identified prior to departure that required additional time for rectification. “Arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to Chennai at the earliest. Hotel accommodation is being provided, and passengers are being offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling as per their preference,” the statement said.
Air India added that its ground staff in Singapore were doing their best to minimize inconvenience to passengers caused by this disruption.
This latest incident comes amid a series of operational disruptions involving Air India flights over the past week. On August 1, an Air India flight from London to Delhi was delayed by more than 11 hours, leaving passengers stranded at the airport. The departure, initially scheduled for 8:35 p.m., was pushed to the next day.
Similarly, on July 31, a London-bound flight from Delhi (AI-2017) was forced to return to the bay after the cockpit crew detected a suspected technical fault just before take-off. The airline stated that the crew acted as per standard safety procedures and that an alternate aircraft was later arranged to complete the journey.
The disruptions follow a recent Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) audit that flagged 51 safety lapses at Air India. These included outdated training manuals, incomplete pilot training, simulator issues, and irregularities in low-visibility operations.
Of these lapses, seven were classified as critical breaches requiring urgent corrective action by July 30, while the remaining 44 non-compliances must be addressed by August 23.
