NEW DELHI, 31 JULY

At least two Air India aircraft faced technical issues on Thursday, and the airline's London-bound Dreamliner Boeing 787-9 aborted takeoff at the Delhi airport, according to sources.

In another incident, Air India's A321 plane returned to the bay after taxing for a few minutes due to a technical issue at the airport in the national capital. The Airbus aircraft was to operate the flight AI461 from Delhi to Amritsar, they said.

"Flight AI2017, operating from Delhi to London on 31 July, returned to the bay due to a suspected technical issue. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the takeoff run following standard operating procedures and brought the aircraft back for precautionary checks," an airline spokesperson said in a statement to PTI.

According to one of the sources, the flight was to be operated with a Boeing 787-9 plane.

"An alternative aircraft is being deployed to fly the passengers to London at the earliest. Our ground staff is extending all support and care to the guests to minimise inconvenience caused due to this unexpected delay," the statement said.

There was no official statement from Air India on the AI 461 flight issue.

Details about the number of passengers onboard both flights could not be immediately ascertained.

In recent weeks, there have been various issues involving Air India planes, and the airline has also come under the regulatory scanner, especially after the plane crash.

On 12 June, Air India's Dreamliner Boeing 787-8 plane en route to London Gatwick crashed into a building soon after take off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.

Earlier this month, aviation watchdog DGCA came across around 100 violations and observations related to Air India's training, crew's rest and duty period norms, and airfield qualification, among others.

On Tuesday, the airline acknowledged receipt of the findings and said it will submit its response to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) within the stipulated time frame, along with the details of the corrective actions taken.