New York-bound Air India flight with 320 aboard returns to Mumbai following mid-air threat

NEW DELHI: Air India’s Mumbai-New York (JFK) flight had to return to the origin over eight hours after taking off on Monday morning following a threat. The Boeing 777 with over 320 people on board operating as AI 119 was over Azerbaijan when the airline decided to fly back to Mumbai. It had taken off at 1.43 am and returned at 10.25 am.

An Air India spokesperson said: “A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) on March 10, 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board. The flight landed safely back in Mumbai at 10.25 am (local time). The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities.”

“The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 5 am on March 11, 2025, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then. Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew,” the spokesperson added.

In the past few months, multiple flights of Indian carriers as well as foreign airlines operating to and from India have been receiving hoax threat messages, disrupting schedules, hugely inconveniencing passengers and causing financial losses to airlines.


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