SpiceJet Tirupati flight diverts back to Hyderabad after mechanical glitch

Precautionary turn-back just ten minutes after take-off from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport; alternate flight dispatched to complete Tirupati service safely

Hyderabad: A SpiceJet Q400 operating flight SG 2696 from Hyderabad to Tirupati turned back roughly ten minutes after departure on Thursday morning when the crew observed an intermittent illumination of the AFT baggage door light. Cabin pressurisation remained normal throughout, and the aircraft landed safely back at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, where 80 passengers were deplaned without incident. An alternate aircraft has been arranged to complete the onward journey to Tirupati.

The decision to return was purely precautionary, SpiceJet clarified that no emergency landing was declared. Upon detecting the light anomaly, the pilot immediately informed Air Traffic Control and obtained clearance to reverse course.

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This unscheduled return follows a series of flight disruptions in the wake of the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which tragically claimed 241 lives on board and 33 on the ground. In the days since, several airlines have reported technical snags or security concerns leading to diversions and cancellations.

On June 15, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt turned back to its origin after airport authorities in Hyderabad received a bomb-threat email. The Boeing 747 had not entered Indian airspace when the decision was made, and it safely landed back at Frankfurt after about two hours in the air.

The Ahmedabad tragedy remains under investigation. Minutes after takeoff for London Gatwick on June 12, the Air India Boeing experienced a fatal engine failure and subsequently crashed, prompting nationwide safety audits and heightened scrutiny of both technical and security protocols across Indian aviation.