Air India’s newest Airbus A350 aircraft suffered engine damage after ingesting an improperly secured baggage container while taxiing to its parking bay at Delhi airport, according to sources. The widebody aircraft was operating Flight AI101 to New York with more than 250 passengers on board.
The incident took place after the aircraft returned to Delhi shortly after take-off, following the unexpected closure of Iranian airspace that disrupted its planned route. After landing safely, the aircraft was taxiing in dense fog when the mishap occurred. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
Engine ingestion refers to a situation where a jet engine draws in a foreign object such as debris, tools, birds, or baggage containers instead of clean air. Unverified visuals circulating online showed visible damage to the aircraft’s right-side engine.
Following the incident, the aircraft has been grounded for inspection and repairs, adding pressure to Air India’s widebody fleet, with one of its six Airbus A350 aircraft already out of service.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has initiated an investigation to determine how the foreign object entered the taxiway area and was ingested by the engine.
In a statement, Air India confirmed that Flight AI101 was forced to return to Delhi due to Iranian airspace restrictions and subsequently encountered a foreign object while taxiing in low visibility conditions, resulting in damage to the right engine. The airline, however, did not officially identify the object involved.
A civil aviation ministry spokesperson later clarified that the aircraft landed safely on Runway 28 and was taxiing toward the apron when the right engine ingested a cargo container at the taxiway N and N4 junction. The incident occurred at around 05:25 IST, when visibility was marginal.
Preliminary findings suggest that a tug operated by a ground handling agency was transporting baggage containers to the Baggage Makeup Area at Terminal 3. While crossing the intersection, one container reportedly toppled onto the taxiway and was subsequently ingested by the aircraft’s No. 2 engine.
After metal debris was cleared from the area, the aircraft was moved to parking stand 244. The DGCA investigation is ongoing to assess procedural lapses and determine accountability.
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