Smoke alarm pushes Air India Express to land in UP, pilot issues Mayday call
An Air India Express flight from Bagdogra to Delhi made a safe emergency landing in Lucknow with 148 passengers after a mid-air smoke alert.
An Air India Express flight carrying 148 people from Bagdogra in West Bengal to Delhi made an emergency landing at Lucknow airport after a smoke alarm was triggered mid-air.
The flight, IX1523, operated by an Airbus A320, was diverted to Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow on Monday evening after smoke was detected in the avionics bay, which houses critical aviation electronics.
The pilot issued a “Mayday” call -- an internationally recognised distress signal used in life-threatening situations.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) in Lucknow was promptly alerted, and the aircraft landed safely at around 5.20 pm.
All passengers were safely evacuated after landing, with no injuries reported.
Passengers were accommodated on alternate flights to Delhi. While some opted for full refunds, others were provided hotel accommodation and rebooked on subsequent services, sources added.
Confirming the incident, an Air India Express spokesperson said the flight landed in Lucknow with passenger safety as priority.
"Prioritising safety, the crew operating one of our flights to Delhi elected to divert to Lucknow and carried out a priority landing following a smoke alert. The aircraft landed safely, and all guests were provided refreshments on arrival. They were subsequently re-accommodated on alternative flights to Delhi," the airline said.
Following the incident, the aircraft was declared “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), indicating a technical fault requiring immediate inspection and repairs before it can resume operations.
The aircraft remains stationed at the Lucknow airport as technical teams carry out further checks.
An Air India Express flight carrying 148 people from Bagdogra in West Bengal to Delhi made an emergency landing at Lucknow airport after a smoke alarm was triggered mid-air.
The flight, IX1523, operated by an Airbus A320, was diverted to Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow on Monday evening after smoke was detected in the avionics bay, which houses critical aviation electronics.
The pilot issued a “Mayday” call -- an internationally recognised distress signal used in life-threatening situations.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) in Lucknow was promptly alerted, and the aircraft landed safely at around 5.20 pm.
All passengers were safely evacuated after landing, with no injuries reported.
Passengers were accommodated on alternate flights to Delhi. While some opted for full refunds, others were provided hotel accommodation and rebooked on subsequent services, sources added.
Confirming the incident, an Air India Express spokesperson said the flight landed in Lucknow with passenger safety as priority.
"Prioritising safety, the crew operating one of our flights to Delhi elected to divert to Lucknow and carried out a priority landing following a smoke alert. The aircraft landed safely, and all guests were provided refreshments on arrival. They were subsequently re-accommodated on alternative flights to Delhi," the airline said.
Following the incident, the aircraft was declared “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), indicating a technical fault requiring immediate inspection and repairs before it can resume operations.
The aircraft remains stationed at the Lucknow airport as technical teams carry out further checks.
