An Air India flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad made an emergency return shortly after take-off on Wednesday after the cockpit received a “smoke indication” from the aircraft’s cargo hold. Flight AI2939, which was carrying around 170 passengers, landed back safely at Delhi airport, and all passengers were deboarded without incident.
According to reports, the pilots decided to turn back as a precautionary measure after the warning alert appeared on the control panel. The airline’s ground staff swiftly facilitated the safe disembarkation of passengers and crew.
An Air India spokesperson confirmed that the crew followed standard safety protocols. “The crew operating flight AI2939 from Delhi to Ahmedabad on 27 November decided to return shortly after take-off due to a smoke indication in the cargo hold area, which was later found to be false after thorough precautionary checks,” the official said.
The spokesperson further added that the airline prioritised the comfort and safety of passengers immediately after landing. “Following standard procedure, the aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were disembarked. Alternate arrangements were made to fly them to Ahmedabad at the earliest.”
Air India expressed regret for the inconvenience caused, reiterating that passenger safety remains its highest priority.
Meanwhile, Air India Express came under scrutiny on the same day after cricketer Mohammed Siraj criticised the airline on X (formerly Twitter) over a four-hour delay on his Guwahati–Hyderabad flight. Siraj said there was “no proper communication” from the airline despite repeated follow-ups. The post quickly went viral, drawing public attention to communication lapses during delays.
Air India Express later issued an apology, stating the delay occurred due to “unforeseen operational reasons” and assured that staff at the airport were assisting passengers with necessary arrangements.
