After mid-air Mayday call, Delhi-bound Air India Express flight makes emergency landing in Lucknow with 148 on board

A Delhi-bound Air India Express flight from Bagdogra, carrying 148 passengers, was forced to make an emergency landing at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow after a mid-air smoke alert, according to news agency PTI. An Air India Express aircraft is seen. (Reuters)

The report stated that the flight, IX1523, was diverted to Lucknow on Monday evening after the pilot issued a 'Mayday' call, which is an internationally recognised distress signal used in life-threatening situations.

The call was made after crew members detected smoke in the aircraft’s avionics bay, which houses critical electronic systems. There were 6 crew members on board as well and no injuries have been reported.

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“Prioritising safety, the crew operating one of our flights to Delhi elected to divert to Lucknow and carried out a priority landing following a smoke alert. The aircraft landed safely, and all guests were provided refreshments on arrival. They were subsequently re-accommodated on alternative flights to Delhi.

Confirming the incident, An Air India Express spokesperson said that the crew spotted the smoke and decided to divert the flight to Lucknow, adding that all passengers on board were safe and were provided with alternative flights to Delhi.

“Prioritising safety, the crew operating one of our flights to Delhi elected to divert to Lucknow and carried out a priority landing following a smoke alert. The aircraft landed safely, and all guests were provided refreshments on arrival. They were subsequently re-accommodated on alternative flights to Delhi. We regret the inconvenience," said the spokesperson.

Some passengers were offered full refunds, while others were provided hotel accommodation and rebooked on subsequent flights, sources said, according to a PTI report.

Following the incident, the aircraft was declared ‘Aircraft on Ground’ (AOG), a technical term indicating that the plane has been grounded due to a fault requiring immediate inspection and repair before it can fly again. The aircraft remains parked at the Lucknow airport, said the report.