Three Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights to India headed to Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad returned mid-air within 36 hours due to technical issues and a bomb threat. These incidents come shortly after the tragic Ahmedabad crash involving a similar aircraft. Though passengers are safe, concerns over the Dreamliner’s safety record are mounting.
In a concerning turn of events, three Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft bound for India were forced to return mid-air within a span of just 36 hours, raising fresh safety concerns among air passengers and authorities. The incidents involved flights heading to Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad, operated by Air India, British Airways, and Lufthansa respectively.
The turnbacks were triggered by a technical snag in two cases and a bomb threat in another. These developments come just days after the tragic Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed over 270 lives, placing the aircraft model under heightened global scrutiny.
The most recent incident occurred on June 16, when Air India flight AI-315, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating between Hong Kong and Delhi, had to return to its origin airport shortly after takeoff.
The aircraft departed Hong Kong at 12:16 PM local time (9:45 AM IST) and was scheduled to arrive in Delhi by 12:20 PM IST. However, the pilot suspected a technical issue mid-flight, prompting an immediate return.
Air India, in a statement, said, “The flight landed safely at Hong Kong and is undergoing checks as a matter of abundant precaution. Alternative arrangements have been made to fly the passengers to Delhi at the earliest.”
The airline also confirmed that on-ground assistance was being provided to the affected passengers, and efforts were underway to minimize inconvenience caused by the delay and disruption.
On Sunday, another Boeing 787 Dreamliner, this time operated by British Airways, was forced to return to London Heathrow after facing a technical issue mid-air.
The flight had departed for Chennai following a 36-minute delay, and after takeoff, it was seen circling over the Strait of Dover multiple times before heading back to London, according to tracking data from Flightradar24.
British Airways issued a statement saying, “The flight landed safely with crew and customers disembarking as they normally would. Our teams are working hard to get their journeys back on track as soon as possible.”
In a more alarming incident, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight (LH752) from Frankfurt had to turn back after a bomb threat was received via email. The aircraft, also a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, took off around 2:14 PM local time on Sunday and was scheduled to land in Hyderabad early Monday morning.
Lufthansa responded with a statement: “Out of an abundance of caution, Lufthansa flight LH752 from Frankfurt to Hyderabad returned to its point of departure after authorities were made aware of a bomb threat posted on social media. The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority.”
According to PTI reports, Hyderabad airport authorities received the bomb threat email at 6:01 PM IST on June 15. Following this, a committee for threat assessment was formed, and standard operating procedures were followed before denying the aircraft landing permission.
One passenger told PTI, “We were told that Hyderabad hasn’t given permission to land the flight there. After about two hours in the air, we were informed that the flight would return to Frankfurt.”
Affected passengers were accommodated in Frankfurt and were expected to resume their journey to Hyderabad the next day.
These multiple incidents come close on the heels of the deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI171) en route to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex, killing 241 out of 242 people on board and 20+ people on the ground. Only one passenger survived the crash.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, widely used for long-haul international flights, has faced multiple service-related concerns in recent years, ranging from engine failures to software glitches. These recent events are expected to intensify calls for regulatory review and comprehensive inspections of aircraft currently in service.
As investigations into the recent crash continue, the back-to-back turnbacks of three Dreamliner flights have raised fresh safety alarms. While all three planes landed safely and passengers were unharmed, the incidents underline the urgent need for transparency, timely updates, and preventive safety checks in international aviation, especially concerning aircraft models with a troubled track record.
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