Air India Cancels Delhi-Washington Flight After Technical Issue in Vienna

3rd July 2025 at 1:26 PM

1 minute read

An Air India flight traveling from Hong Kong to Delhi was forced to turn back on Monday after the pilot reported a suspected technical issue mid-air.

New Delhi– Air India was forced to cancel its Delhi to Washington, DC flight, AI103, on Thursday following a technical issue discovered during a routine stopover in Vienna, according to an airline spokesperson. The flight, which departed Delhi at 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday and was scheduled to arrive in Washington at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, encountered a maintenance issue during its planned fuel stop in the Austrian capital.

Routine checks in Vienna revealed an extended maintenance task that required additional time to resolve, rendering the aircraft unfit for the onward journey to Washington. As a result, the Vienna-Washington leg of flight AI103 was canceled, and all passengers were disembarked in Vienna. The disruption also led to the cancellation of the return flight, AI104, from Washington, DC to Delhi via Vienna.

Air India took steps to mitigate the inconvenience, rebooking affected passengers on alternative flights to their destinations or offering full refunds based on their preferences, the spokesperson told .

Passengers eligible for visa-free entry or holding valid Schengen visas were provided hotel accommodations in Vienna until the next available flight. For those without entry permissions, the airline is arranging accommodations pending immigration and security clearances from Austrian authorities, according to reports.

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The cancellations come amid heightened scrutiny of Air India’s operations, with the airline facing challenges related to maintenance and technical issues in recent months.