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Air India Fleet Hit at Delhi Airport
New Delhi: Sudden strong winds and heavy rain swept across Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday evening, disrupting aircraft parking operations near Terminal 2 and affecting multiple stands on the apron. The weather change was sudden,
with visibility dropping briefly during peak ground activity. Operations continued with caution as ground teams cleared debris from affected bays. Airport authorities maintained heightened monitoring as wind activity gradually eased later in the evening.
Airport officials said unsecured ground support equipment, including step ladders and trestles used by airline handling teams, were lifted by gusty winds and pushed into parked aircraft. Several items became uncontrollable as wind speeds increased across the open parking bays.
No injuries were reported among ground staff during the incident. Equipment has since been re-secured and checked for operational readiness.
Three Air India A320 aircraft were immediately removed from service after being struck, with maintenance teams carrying out detailed structural and safety inspections to assess the extent of damage. One aircraft sustained heavier damage, requiring longer grounding for repair and certification checks.
Engineers began structural assessments immediately after towing the aircraft to maintenance stands. Regulatory procedures will determine when the aircraft can safely return to operations.
Delhi International Airport Limited said no prior weather alert was issued by air traffic control before the storm, limiting time for ground crews to secure equipment on the apron. Officials noted that such warnings are typically crucial for securing movable equipment in time.
An internal review has been initiated to examine communication gaps during rapid weather changes. Safety teams are also evaluating whether additional early warning systems are required.
Sources indicated that similar weather-related disruptions have raised concerns about apron safety protocols, especially after a recent incident involving another Air India aircraft at the airport. This has prompted renewed review of coordination between weather forecasting systems and ground handling operations.
Airlines operating at IGIA are expected to submit detailed reports as part of ongoing safety audits.
Further assessment will focus on improving apron resilience against extreme weather events. Authorities confirmed that further updates will follow once inspections and weather impact assessments are fully completed across all affected aircraft and ground systems processes.
