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In a costly operational lapse, an Air India flight bound for Vancouver was forced to return to Delhi after nearly nine hours in the air when the airline realised it had deployed an aircraft not cleared to operate into Canada.The flight, AI 185, had taken off from Delhi on March 19 with a full load of passengers and was operating on an unusual eastward route, avoiding the Gulf conflict zone. However, the aircraft assigned for the journey was a Boeing 777-200LR, while Air India only has regulatory approval to operate its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to Canada.The error came to light several hours into the journey, when the aircraft was already flying over Chinese airspace near Kunming. By then, it had been airborne for more than four hours. The airline subsequently instructed the pilots to return to Delhi. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft, which had departed at 11:34 am, landed back in the capital at 7:19 pm.Aviation regulations differ across countries, with some granting permissions based on airlines, fleets or even specific aircraft. In this case, Canada’s approval for Air India is limited to the Boeing 777-300ER variant, not the 777-200LR that was mistakenly deployed.The incident has drawn serious internal scrutiny within the airline. TOI sources indicated that the lapse is being treated with urgency and accountability measures are under consideration. "We learn from our mistakes and the same shall never be repeated. The moment this lapse was realised, the aircraft was called back to Delhi," said sources.The financial implications of the error are significant. A Boeing 777 typically consumes 8–9 tonnes of fuel per hour, depending on conditions. With global oil prices elevated and the rupee under pressure, the diversion represents a substantial avoidable cost for the airline, which is still working to improve its financial performance.Air India, however, described the episode in operational terms. An airline spokesperson said: " Air India flight AI185 , operating from Delhi to Vancouver on March 19, returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew had disembarked.""We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unforeseen situation. Our ground teams in Delhi had provided all necessary assistance, including offering hotel accommodation, while every effort was made to fly the passengers to their destination at the earliest. The flight departed this morning for Vancouver with the passengers. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority," the spokesperson added.The incident has raised eyebrows within aviation circles. While flights operating westward over the Arabian Sea since late February have faced the possibility of turning back due to regional tensions, a return triggered by what industry insiders describe as a “human error” — and that too on an eastbound route — has come as a surprise even to seasoned professionals.