Air India Delhi–New York flight engine sucks in baggage container

Dubai: Air India’s newest Airbus A350 suffered a double blow on Thursday morning after a sudden geopolitical disruption forced a mid-air turnaround — followed by a ground-handling lapse that damaged one of the aircraft’s engines at Delhi airport.

Flight AI101, operating from Delhi to New York (JFK) with over 250 passengers on board, had to return to the national capital shortly after take-off when Iran unexpectedly closed its airspace, disrupting several long-haul routes linking India with North America.

According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft (registration VT-JRB) departed Delhi at 2.36am and was cruising over Ahmedabad airspace when the closure came into effect, blocking its planned overflight of Iran — a key corridor for westbound transatlantic flights.

With no viable alternate routing available at that stage, the crew took the precautionary decision to turn back to Delhi. Two other Air India flights — Delhi–Newark and Mumbai–New York (JFK) — were cancelled outright as a result of the airspace shutdown, airline sources told The Times of India.

What is engine ingestion — and why it matters

• Engine ingestion occurs when a jet engine sucks in a foreign object — such as baggage containers, tools, debris or even birds — instead of clean air.

• Modern jet engines operate with immense suction, especially at low speeds during taxiing or take-off. If an object enters the engine:

• Fan blades can be damaged or bent

• Internal components may suffer hidden structural stress

• The engine often has to be shut down and inspected or replaced

• While aircraft are designed to withstand certain bird strikes, ground-based foreign objects — known as Foreign Object Debris (FOD) — pose a serious safety and cost risk. Even minor ingestion can ground an aircraft for days or weeks.

• Low visibility conditions such as dense fog significantly increase the risk, making strict airside discipline and secure handling of equipment critical.

Engine damage after landing

The situation worsened after the aircraft landed back at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

While taxiing to its parking bay in dense fog, an improperly secured baggage container was sucked into the aircraft’s right-side engine, causing damage and forcing Air India to ground the aircraft for repairs.

Why Iranian airspace matters for India–US flights

• Iranian airspace is a key transit corridor for long-haul flights between India and North America, offering the shortest and most fuel-efficient westbound route.

• When Iran closes its airspace:

• Flights must take long detours over Central Asia or the Arabian Sea

• Fuel consumption and crew duty hours increase sharply

• Some flights become operationally unviable, leading to cancellations

• Airlines often decide mid-flight whether rerouting is feasible. If not, aircraft are forced to turn back, as happened with Air India’s Delhi–New York flight.

• Such closures — often triggered by regional tensions or security concerns — can disrupt dozens of international flights within hours, cascading into cancellations, delays and aircraft shortages.

The incident has temporarily reduced Air India’s A350 fleet availability, with one of its six widebody A350s now out of service, adding to operational pressure during a peak long-haul travel period.

“Upon landing in Delhi, the aircraft encountered a foreign object while taxiing in dense fog, resulting in damage to the right engine,” an Air India spokesperson said. “The aircraft was safely positioned at the designated parking stand, ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew.”

Spotlight on airside safety

The episode has once again drawn attention to airside safety practices at Indian airports, where past incidents have involved vehicles or unattended equipment encroaching into aircraft movement areas.

Aviation experts say such risks are amplified during low-visibility conditions, making strict adherence to ground-handling protocols critical.

“Foreign object debris incidents are rare but potentially serious. Fog conditions demand heightened vigilance from ground teams,” an aviation safety official said.

Wider impact of airspace closures

Iranian airspace is a strategic transit route for flights between South Asia, Europe and North America. Its sudden closure — amid rising regional tensions — has forced airlines to reroute, delay or cancel flights, increasing fuel burn, crew duty time and operational complexity.

Air India said the aircraft will remain grounded pending a detailed inspection and repairs, while affected passengers are being accommodated on alternate services or offered refunds.

For now, the incident underscores how geopolitical shocks in the air and safety lapses on the ground can combine to disrupt global aviation — even after a flight has safely returned home.