‘Flight To Nowhere’: Vancouver-Bound Air India Plane Returns Mid-Air After Wrong Aircraft Deployed

Last Updated:March 21, 2026, 06:09 IST

Air India is currently authorised to operate only its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on routes to Canada, and the deployment of the 777-200LR was a result of an apparent lapse.

In a major operational lapse, an Air India flight bound for Canada’s Vancouver was forced to return to New Delhi after being airborne for over almost eight hours as the airline mistakenly deployed an aircraft that did not have the regulatory clearance to enter Canada.

Air India Flight AI185 took off from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport for Vancouver on Thursday, March 19. After being airborne for over seven hours, when the aircraft entered the Chinese airspace near Kunming, the airline realised that the aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 LR, was not authorised to operate in Canada, news agency PTI reported citing sources.

The aircraft eventually landed safely back in Delhi, and all passengers and crew disembarked without incident.

According to sources, Air India is currently authorised to operate only its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on routes to Canada, and the deployment of the 777-200LR was a result of an apparent lapse in updating operational requirements.

The midair return of the flight appears to be an administrative issue related to the unusual deployment of aircraft. However, the exact reason for the diversion and the number of passengers on board couldn’t be exclusively confirmed by the airline.

Without providing specific details, Air India, in a statement on Friday, said the aircraft had landed safely at the Delhi airport.

“Air India flight AI185, operating from Delhi to Vancouver on 19 March, returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew had disembarked," the airline said in a statement.

The airline added that ground teams in Delhi arranged assistance for passengers, including hotel accommodation, and made efforts to ensure they reached their destination at the earliest. The flight departed this morning with all passengers onboard.

The incident is expected to have significant cost implications for the airline, as long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 777 typically consume several tonnes of fuel per hour.

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