Air India cancels Delhi-Washington flight due to technical snag in Vienna

Air India's Delhi–Washington flight was cancelled in Vienna due to a technical fault found during a fuel stop. The return flight was also cancelled. Passengers were rebooked or refunded. This follows other recent Air India disruptions caused by technical issues.

New Delhi: An Air India flight AI 103 from Delhi to Washington, D.C., was cancelled due to a technical snag that the aircraft faced during its fuel stop in Vienna, the airline said on Thursday.

Flight AI 103, which took off at 12.45 a.m. on Wednesday and was scheduled to reach Washington at 8.45 p.m. on Thursday, was cancelled in Vienna.

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Consequently, flight AI 104 from Washington, D.C. to Delhi via Vienna was also cancelled.

According to an airline statement, the affected passengers have been rebooked on alternative flights to Delhi or offered full refunds based on their preferences.

“Flight AI 103 from Delhi to Washington, D.C. on 2 July 2025 made a planned fuel stop in Vienna. During routine aircraft checks, an extended maintenance task was identified, which required rectification before the next flight and, thus, additional time for completion,” said an Air India spokesperson.

Due to this, the Vienna to Washington, D.C. leg was cancelled, and passengers were disembarked.

“Passengers eligible for visa-free entry or those with valid Schengen visas were provided hotel accommodations in Vienna until the next available flight. For those without entry permission, accommodations are being arranged, pending immigration and security clearances by Austrian authorities,” said the airline.

The airline said it “deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and remains committed to prioritising the safety of all passengers and crew”.

There have been a series of Air India flight cancellations in recent days due to technical snags.

An Air India flight AI 357, operating from Japan to Delhi, made a precautionary diversion to Kolkata due to persistent warm temperatures experienced in the cabin. The Air India flight, operated by a Boeing 787 aircraft, landed safely and is under inspection, according to the airline.

The flight, AI357, was en route from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to New Delhi when the crew reported the technical issue.

On June 27, Air India flight AI639 from Mumbai to Chennai was forced to return to Mumbai shortly after takeoff after the crew detected a burning smell inside the cabin.

Air India and Air India Express together operate more than 1,100 flights a day, flying over 1,50,000 passengers.