Vienna: An Air India flight operating between Delhi and Washington was abruptly grounded in Vienna on July 2 following the discovery of a technical snag during a scheduled refuelling halt. The aircraft, operating as flight AI103, was en route to the U.S. capital when the issue was detected during routine inspection, prompting the airline to cancel the onward journey and disembark all passengers at the Austrian airport.
According to Air India, the Delhi-Washington flight had been functioning as per schedule until it arrived in Vienna for a planned fuel stop. However, during standard maintenance checks on the ground, engineers identified a component that required immediate attention and an extended repair timeline. Due to the nature and duration of the required maintenance, Air India decided not to proceed with the remaining leg to Washington.
Passengers were safely disembarked in Vienna and provided assistance by the airline’s local ground staff. “Safety is our highest priority,” an Air India spokesperson said, adding that the decision to cancel the flight was taken to ensure operational safety.
The disruption also affected the return service from Washington to Delhi, which was cancelled as a consequence of the aircraft being grounded. Air India confirmed that all affected passengers have been either rebooked on alternate flights or offered full refunds.
