The aircraft didn’t have regulatory clearance to enter Canada, forcing a mid-air return.
Dubai: Passengers on Air India’s flight to Vancouver faced a journey to nowhere when the aircraft had to return to Delhi nearly eight hours into the trip due to a regulatory oversight.
Flight AI185 departed Delhi at 11:34 am and initially followed its scheduled route east toward Canada.
However, about four hours into the journey—after entering Chinese airspace near Kunming—the airline discovered that the aircraft operating the flight lacked the necessary clearance to enter Canada.
With no option to proceed, the plane was forced to turn around mid-air.
By the time it landed back in Delhi, the Boeing 777-200LR had spent a total of 7 hours and 54 minutes airborne—only to return to its point of origin, according to NDTV.
The problem arose from aircraft-specific regulatory approvals. While Air India operates several Boeing 777 variants, only its Boeing 777-300ER is currently cleared to operate flights to Canada. Aviation clearances can differ widely, with some granted to the airline as a whole and others tied to specific aircraft types—or even individual tail numbers.
Air India called the incident an “operational issue,” stating that the decision to return followed standard procedures. “The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked. We regret the inconvenience caused to our guests,” the airline said in a statement.
Ground teams provided assistance to affected passengers, including hotel accommodation, and helped rebook them. The flight eventually departed the following morning with all passengers onboard.
The episode is also expected to come with a substantial financial cost. A Boeing 777 typically consumes between eight and nine tonnes of fuel per hour, meaning the nearly eight-hour round trip without reaching its destination likely resulted in a significant operational loss.
