Air India A350 suffers engine damage at Delhi airport after foreign object ingestion

New Delhi, January 20. An Air India flight operating between Delhi and New York last week was forced to return to the national capital after airspace restrictions over Iran disrupted its planned route, following which the aircraft sustained engine damage on the ground at Delhi airport.

The airline said Flight AI101, operated by an Airbus A350, had to turn back shortly after departure on January 15 due to the sudden closure of Iranian airspace. After landing in Delhi, the aircraft encountered a foreign object while taxiing in dense fog, resulting in damage to its right engine.

Air India confirmed that the incident occurred as the aircraft was taxiing to its designated parking bay and stressed that all passengers and crew remained safe throughout. The aircraft has since been grounded for detailed inspections and repairs.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation to determine how the foreign object came to be present on the taxiway. According to preliminary findings, a tug operated by Bird Worldwide Flight Services (BWFS) was transporting baggage containers to the Baggage Make-Up Area at Terminal 3 when a wheel from a container dolly reportedly detached, causing the container to topple onto a taxiway intersection.

Officials said that while the ground handling operator moved the remaining containers away after noticing the approaching aircraft, the fallen container was left behind and was subsequently ingested by the aircraft’s No. 2 engine.

Air India said the aircraft was safely parked and reiterated that safety remains its highest priority. The airline has warned of possible disruptions on select A350 routes and said it is assisting affected passengers with alternative travel arrangements or refunds, as per their preference.