Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): A major administrative oversight forced a Vancouver-bound Air India flight to return to New Delhi on Thursday evening after being airborne for more than seven hours. The Boeing 777-200 LR (registration VT-AEI) was flying through Chinese airspace when it was discovered that the specific aircraft model was not approved for this particular route under Canadian aviation requirements. Sources indicate that a failure to update the list of operational requirements for Canada led to the deployment of the wrong aircraft type.
According to industry insiders, the Delhi-Vancouver service was specifically cleared to be operated using a Boeing 777-300 ER. However, the airline mistakenly deployed the 200 LR variant, which lacks the necessary regulatory approvals for that specific flight path into Canada. Aviation experts noted that while both models are capable of the distance, international flight approvals are country-specific and require precise documentation for every tail number and aircraft variant utilized on a route.
Air India issued a statement on Friday confirming that flight AI185 returned to the national capital in line with “established standard operating procedures” due to an “operational issue.” The airline emphasized that the plane landed safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport and all passengers and crew disembarked without incident. Data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft making a U-turn deep into its journey, a move that resulted in nearly 15 hours of total flying time only to end up back at the starting point.
The airline addressed the logistical challenge by arranging a replacement flight, which departed for Vancouver on Friday morning with the original passengers. While Air India has not officially detailed the internal lapse, the incident has raised questions regarding the carrier’s flight dispatch and regulatory compliance protocols during its ongoing fleet restructuring. The aircraft involved, VT-AEI, has reportedly been grounded from the Vancouver route pending a full review of its international certifications.
