Air India Boeing 787 Returns to Hong Kong Midflight

Air India Boeing 787 Returns to Hong Kong Midflight Amid Safety Concerns

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was compelled to return to Hong Kong International Airport shortly after departing on June 16, 2025, due to a suspected technical issue. The aircraft, registered VT-NAC, had taken off at 12:16 local time on flight AI315, bound for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Less than an hour into the journey, while cruising above the South China Sea at approximately 22,000 feet, the flight crew decided to turn back and safely descend to Hong Kong.

Incident Details and Airline Response

Air India confirmed that the decision to return was prompted by a technical concern, emphasizing that the aircraft landed safely and is currently undergoing thorough inspections as a precautionary measure. The airline assured that alternative arrangements were being made to transport passengers to Delhi at the earliest opportunity and that comprehensive on-ground support was being provided to minimize disruption. Notably, the pilots did not activate the 7700 emergency squawk code during the incident, indicating that there was no immediate threat to safety.

Since the diversion, the aircraft has remained grounded in Hong Kong pending maintenance checks, with no scheduled return flight to India. Flight tracking data reveals that VT-NAC had recently been stored at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport before re-entering service earlier in June.

Context and Industry Implications

This midflight return occurs amid heightened scrutiny of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, following a tragic crash involving another 787-8 shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad just days earlier, which resulted in over 200 fatalities. In response, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) mandated comprehensive inspections of all Air India Dreamliners. The airline has since completed one-time safety checks on nine aircraft as part of intensified protocols.

The incident also casts a shadow over Air India’s ongoing Vihaan.AI transformation program, an ambitious initiative aimed at elevating the carrier to a “world-class global airline” within five years. The recent technical difficulties and the fatal accident risk undermining the airline’s reputation, operational momentum, and the broader perception of India’s aviation sector. Industry analysts are closely monitoring the situation, including how competitors and the market will respond as investigations proceed.

On the same day, other carriers such as Cathay Pacific and IndiGo operated flights between Hong Kong and Delhi, providing alternative options for affected passengers.

As Air India addresses the technical issue and works to restore confidence, the episode highlights the challenges confronting the airline amid efforts to modernize its operations and reassure regulators and the traveling public alike.