'Operational issue': Jodhpur-bound Air India flight aborts takeoff; passengers shifted to alternative arrangements

NEW DELHI: A Jodhpur-bound Air India flight aborted takeoff and returned to the bay on Friday due to "operational" reasons, the airline said. Tata-owned Air India added that alternative arrangements were made to fly the passengers to their destination, without providing further details, PTI reported. "Flight AI645 operating from Mumbai to Jodhpur on August 22 returned to bay due to an operational issue. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the take-off run following standard operating procedures and brought the aircraft back," the statement added. "Our ground team in Mumbai had extended immediate assistance to minimise the inconvenience," the statement added.Earlier, passengers on board an Air India flight from Kochi to New Delhi faced an unexpected delay after a technical issue was detected during the aircraft's take-off roll, as per ANI news agency. In a statement, the airline said, "Flight AI504 operating from Kochi to Delhi on Sunday, 17 August, was delayed due to a technical issue detected during the take-off roll. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the take-off run, following Standard Operating Procedures and brought the aircraft back to bay for checks." Earlier this month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a warning letter to Air India Ltd., cautioning the airline over violations of flight time regulations and advising its management to exercise the highest level of diligence in adhering to aviation safety requirements.