Air India Express Flight Delayed by 7 Hours After Technical Snag Before Takeoff
Kolkata to Hindon flight IX 1511 halted on runway, Goa route cancelled as ripple effect unfolds
New Delhi, June 15: A regular Saturday flight turned into a long, chaotic wait for passengers of Air India Express flight IX 1511, after the aircraft suddenly halted on the runway just before takeoff. The route, scheduled between Kolkata and Ghaziabad’s Hindon Airport, was delayed for hours after what the airline later described as a technical snag.
Stuck On The Tarmac, Then In The Terminal
The plane had started moving. Engines on. Cabin lights dimmed. Crew giving last-minute safety checks. And then—everything stopped.
Passengers say they waited inside the aircraft for over an hour before being asked to deboard. What they didn’t know then: the flight would end up delayed for nearly seven hours, as reported by India Today.
“I thought we were minutes from takeoff. Next thing we know, the pilot says there’s a snag. We sat there, sweating, without any clue,” said Aamir Khan, a flyer on board.
Airline Says It Acted ‘Per Protocol’
Later in the afternoon, Air India Express put out a statement confirming that a mechanical issue had been detected while taxiing. According to Gulf News, the original aircraft was grounded and a replacement plane was arranged.
The airline offered free cancellations, refunds, and rescheduling to all affected passengers. It also apologized “for the inconvenience caused.”
But many passengers weren’t pleased. The complaints weren’t just about the delay—it was the silence. “We didn’t get updates. No one knew if we were flying, waiting, or what. It was just radio silence for hours,” said another passenger.
Goa Flight Scrapped Due To Delay
The delayed Kolkata flight was only half the story. That same aircraft had been scheduled to fly a Hindon-to-Goa route later that day. With the original plane out and the backup rerouted, that second flight was cancelled, leaving another group of travelers stranded.
As per India Today, dozens of flyers had already checked in for the Goa leg when the cancellation hit. Some were rebooked. Most were left figuring out alternatives themselves.
All This Amid DGCA Inspections
The timing of the glitch isn’t random. Just three days ago, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash-landed in Ahmedabad, prompting emergency action from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Now, safety inspections are being carried out across the Air India group, including its low-cost arm, Air India Express.
While it’s not clear if the Saturday snag was related, the incident happened under a heightened atmosphere of mechanical checks and regulatory pressure. According to Gulf News, additional scrutiny has been placed on all aircraft systems following the Ahmedabad crash.
Passengers Torn Between Frustration And Relief
On social media, flyers vented. One post read, “We were left in the dark for hours. No food, no updates. Just sitting there.” Another read, “Angry, yes. But better grounded than risking something mid-air. Thank you, crew.”
In hindsight, many acknowledged that grounding a flight for a mechanical issue is the right decision. But the way it was handled—the waiting, the silence, the last-minute cancellations—left a bitter taste.
An industry insider told Times of India, “The systems worked. A fault was caught before takeoff. That’s success in aviation terms. But airlines also need to fix their crisis communication.”
A Small Incident, But A Big Reminder
Air India Express, now merged with AIX Connect, is trying to grow fast—more routes, more flights, tighter schedules. But incidents like this show how thin margins can unravel when one aircraft goes out of commission.
No one was harmed. No emergency landings. But for passengers, it was still a rough day. And for the airline, a reminder: safety may come first, but communication should come a close second.
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Ravi Juneja is a student journalist currently pursuing his degree from Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication. With a passion for factual reporting and public interest stories, he covers a wide spectrum of news at Hindustan Herald, including politics, health, technology, entertainment, and global affairs. Ravi is committed to delivering balanced, research-backed journalism with a strong sense of responsibility and independence.
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