An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to New Delhi made an unexpected return to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff on Monday, June 16, following a suspected technical issue. The aircraft, operating flight AI315, departed Hong Kong International Airport around 12:20 p.m. local time but was back on the ground within an hour as a precautionary measure.
Air India released a brief statement confirming that the return was prompted by “a technical issue,” but did not elaborate on the nature of the problem. The airline emphasized that the flight landed safely and that the aircraft was undergoing thorough inspection “as a matter of abundant precaution.”
According to air traffic control audio posted on LiveATC.net and reviewed by Reuters, a pilot from the flight contacted controllers approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, stating, “For technical reasons, sir, we would like to stay closer to Hong Kong… maybe we will come back and land back into Hong Kong once we sort out the problem. We don’t want to continue further.”
Flight tracking data from AirNav Radar shows the aircraft had reached an altitude of 22,000 feet before initiating its descent. It landed safely at around 1:15 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Airport Authority Hong Kong. The incident did not disrupt airport operations.
The aircraft involved is a seven-year-old Dreamliner. Both Boeing and Air India have yet to respond to media inquiries regarding this latest incident.
This technical scare follows a far more tragic event just a week earlier, when another Air India Boeing 787-8, also operating an international route, crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff. That flight, bound for London, resulted in the deaths of 241 of the 242 people on board and has intensified scrutiny on the safety of Boeing’s aircraft.
The recent sequence of incidents adds pressure on Air India, which has been actively working to modernize its fleet, and on Boeing, which continues to grapple with quality control issues and declining public confidence following multiple aviation mishaps in recent years.
As investigations continue, Air India has reiterated its commitment to passenger safety and regulatory compliance. The airline said affected passengers from AI315 were being re-accommodated on alternate flights to New Delhi.