Air India Express flight diverts to Indore after infant health crisis

An Air India Express flight from Jaipur to Bengaluru made a priority emergency landing at Indore Airport on Tuesday evening after a one-year-old passenger developed acute breathing difficulties mid-flight, airline officials and local reports said. The infant was later taken to a nearby hospital but did not survive.

Flight IX1240 departed from Jaipur in the late afternoon and was scheduled to reach Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru later that night, according to an NDTV report. Shortly after takeoff, the child began showing signs of severe respiratory distress, prompting the cabin crew to notify the cockpit and request priority clearance from Air Traffic Control.

The pilot diverted the aircraft to Indore’s Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, where ambulances and medical teams were on standby to provide immediate attention upon landing. Airline representatives said a doctor travelling on the flight assisted with CPR and initial care during the diversion.

Despite the swift response from cabin crew, the traveling doctor and ground medical staff, the infant — identified in local news reports as Mohammad Abraar — succumbed to the condition after being rushed to a hospital for further treatment late Tuesday.

Airline officials expressed condolences to the family and confirmed that the decision to divert was made in accordance with aviation safety and medical emergency protocols. Priority landings — also known as medical diversions — allow an aircraft to land at the nearest suitable airport to ensure the quickest access to professional care. Similar procedures have been used in other inflight medical emergencies, such as situations involving passengers with congenital conditions or sudden illnesses.

The remainder of the passengers on Flight IX1240 experienced only a brief delay before the aircraft continued to its scheduled destination after the emergency procedures were completed.