An Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, carrying senior Congress leader K C Venugopal and several MPs, was forced to divert to Chennai on Sunday evening following technical issues and poor weather, prompting concerns over passenger safety.
Venugopal, Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, described the incident on X as “frighteningly close to tragedy,” recounting how turbulence was followed by a reported signal fault. He claimed the first landing attempt was aborted due to another aircraft on the runway, crediting the pilot’s quick decision for averting disaster.
Air India, however, clarified that the go-around was instructed by Chennai air traffic control due to operational reasons, not the presence of another aircraft, and that its pilots followed standard safety procedures. The Airbus A320 eventually landed safely on the second attempt.
The airline stated the diversion was precautionary, citing a suspected technical issue and adverse weather. The aircraft is undergoing checks in Chennai, with alternate travel arrangements being made for passengers.
The flight, AI2455, took off shortly after 8 p.m. and landed in Chennai at 10:35 p.m., after being airborne for over two hours. Recent weeks have seen several Air India aircraft report technical snags, raising scrutiny over maintenance and safety standards.
