An Air India fight bound for Canada ended up exactly where it started, after a seven-hour “flight to nowhere.” While it’s common to see diversions for mechanical or medical reasons, what’s interesting here is that the issue seemed to be due to a technicality more than anything…
In this post:
Vancouver-bound Air India flight returns to Delhi after seven hours
This incident happened on Thursday, March 19, 2026, and involves Air India flight AI185, scheduled to operate from Delhi (DEL) to Vancouver (YVR). While this flight is ordinarily operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, on this particular day the flight was swapped to a Boeing 777-200LR with the registration code VT-AEI. For what it’s worth, this 16-year-old jet is one of the former Delta 777s that Air India acquired (which is now being phased out).
While the flight was scheduled to depart at 10:55AM, it actually took off at 12:18PM, a bit behind schedule. It started its journey east, first flying across India, and then across Bangladesh and Myanmar, before entering Chinese airspace.
However, a little over three hours after takeoff, just after having passed the city of Kunming, the plane turned around. and took almost exactly the same path back to its origin. It ended up landing in Delhi at 7:18PM, seven hours after it first departed.
The airline has stopped short of sharing the reason for the return to Delhi, other than to say that it happened “due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures.” The airline ended up putting passengers in a hotel, and then operating a replacement flight the following day.
What “operational issue” caused this Air India diversion?
It’s rare to see an ultra long haul flight simply turn around hours after takeoff, especially if there’s no problem with the aircraft or anyone onboard.
What’s noteworthy here is that the flight had been swapped from a Boeing 777-300ER to a Boeing 777-200LR, so I think it’s safe to say that flying the 777-200LR on this route was the issue. The prevailing theory seems to be that Air India is only allowed to fly 777-300ERs to Canada, based on the air rights the airline has to Canada. That’s not because there’s anything wrong with the 777-200LR, but instead, it’s just a technicality.
Now, View from the Wing claims what’s being reported elsewhere isn’t accurate, and that he has sorted out what happened. He claims that this is likely about onboard oxygen supplies:
Air India flies routes over the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush. They’ll fly a route that goes near the Hindu Kush high terrain, avoiding both Afghanistan airspace and Pakistan airspace. However to do this requires additional oxygen on board. The legacy Air India planes have it, the Delta ones do not, and the Delta ones aren’t a permanent part of the fleet so haven’t received the investment.
The ex-Delta aircraft has installed passenger oxygen meant to last about 12 minutes. However, the emergency descent profile over high terrain can require more than that. Passenger oxygen requirements depend on whether an airplane can descend to a safe altitude quickly enough while maintaining terrain clearance.
That’s a nice sounding theory, but I’m not sure I can make sense of that? The same exact 777-200LR used for this flight has also regularly operated to San Francisco (SFO), and that flight takes virtually the same route out of Delhi. Also, unless I’m missing something, this flight didn’t actually operate near the Hindu Kush high terrain region, which is in the opposite direction?
So I’m inclined to believe that the initial explanation is correct, and that this is just some paperwork issue with the Canadian authorities.
Bottom line
Passengers traveling on Air India to Vancouver were in for a bit of an adventure, when the flight turned around after a few hours enroute. This was due to an “operational issue,” which is the extent of what the airline has shared.
Air India ordinarily operates this route with a Boeing 777-300ER, but on this day, a Boeing 777-200LR was swapped in. It seems likely that this was just a paperwork issue, though it’s hard to know with 100% certainty.
What do you make of this Air India diversion?
JJ...the airline will now owe your parents and 300+ others $1000CDN compensation. I suggest they check Transport Canada's arcane rules that mut be complied with to file a valid claim.
Many of us would pay NOT to fly AI.
Would you rather connect in the Middle East these days? Yeesh.
Engagement Bait", where does anyone read this? What a stretch!!
Another great article with appropriate references and what seems to me to be the reasonable conclusion.
Keep up the great work Ben!
For your kind information : PIA ( Pakistan International Airlines ) is NOT a Banned Airline. Correct your Mistake and STOP spreading misleading Fake news against PIA. PIA is flying to Canada, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and soon will be re-launching its flights to USA. Thanks for kind attention. Yes I fully agree 200% Air India must be BANNED immediately.
What happens when AI (the other one, though both are grave threats to humanity) writes your blog, and it mildly hallucinates?
Why do people even fly this airline? At least the toilets weren't all clogged up.
Golden shower special.
Only on Air India.
So my parents were on this flight. A few hours before it was supposed to leave, they received an email showing their booking had been changed and they’d been moved to a flight the following Saturday. They were already on their way to the airport.
At the airport, my dad, understandably shocked they’d been pushed back 10 days, asked why. The service rep said the plane had weight issues and they had to offload 34...
So my parents were on this flight. A few hours before it was supposed to leave, they received an email showing their booking had been changed and they’d been moved to a flight the following Saturday. They were already on their way to the airport.
At the airport, my dad, understandably shocked they’d been pushed back 10 days, asked why. The service rep said the plane had weight issues and they had to offload 34 passengers. They had no prior notice it was even a plane change.
Long story short, after hours of arguing and waiting around at the airport, Air India agreed to put them on a flight the next day via London. No hotel, no food, no vouchers, just rude staff.
Unfortunately, my parents had to fly Air India. Never again. It’s an awful airline with awful, rude staff. The airline should be on the banned list like PIA.
That VFTW article was complete nonsense from lack of geographical knowledge you rightfully pointed out to not even checking the plane track to see it doesn't cross Himalayas or go over "high terrain". So the whole theory is shot.
Then my pet theory is that this plane was usually flying the DEL-FRA route and they messed up and sent FRA passengers enroute to YVR before they realized the mistake and brought them back. Makes more sense as the VFTW article no? :)
The map shows they could have landed at Kunming or Bangladesh ; problem solved .
I bet that was smelly flight. Lol
I think you’re grading AI on too generous of a curve if you’re calling an 83 minute delay “a bit behind schedule.”
At least you didn't blame Delta for it. Gary Leff made a big deal that this was one of the retired 777LRs AI got from Delta and that was relevant for some reason. However, please don't succumb to the stupidness of VFTW and BYOC by posting insane click bait stories. I'm seeing way too many in the aviation blogosphere these days. Please keep up your GOOD work, Ben, and thank you.
Well, well, what is the most important, everyone landed back safely and I am pretty sure that AI took its full responsibility to deal with the recourses.
Good old plummet-into-the-ground Air India strikes again.
I don’t think there is anything to blame AI about considering the fact that the incident was either due to the action of the pilot or Boeing. Very presumptuous of you
Thanks Ben,
I'm a long time follower but this engagement bait is out of control. Consider me as out of this sphere.
It's such a pity because your blog used to be full of useful tips and reviews. When you are diving into the bucket of 3rd-hand other blogger nonsense to push an agenda, this news is worse than no news at all.
@ Rudiger -- I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm also genuinely confused. In the 18+ years I've been writing this blog, I've always covered general interest aviation geek stories like this one.
I wouldn't in any way view this as "engagement bait," but instead, this is just the type of thing I've always covered here. But of course you have the right to read what you'd like, I appreciate that you've read for a long time, and I wish you all the best.
Fully support you...this has become a sick blog that attracts even more sick comments..get ready for the sick guys to fire back at me...
@Rudiger.....I think it's time to take a time out and take a nap. Come back refreshed. Thank you!
@Rudiger, when I stumble an article that I don't like I just do this simple thing, that might work as well in your case. I just... don't read it
“On June 3, 2024, American Airlines Flight AA780 flew a Boeing 787-9 across the Atlantic to Naples — only to divert to Rome because the aircraft wasn’t even authorized to land there. Passengers were then bused to their destination. It was treated as an operational issue.
Air India has a similar aircraft mismatch and turns back to avoid further complications — and suddenly it’s a full-blown, clutch-your-pearls crisis.
Same mistake — very different outrage.
You...
“On June 3, 2024, American Airlines Flight AA780 flew a Boeing 787-9 across the Atlantic to Naples — only to divert to Rome because the aircraft wasn’t even authorized to land there. Passengers were then bused to their destination. It was treated as an operational issue.
Air India has a similar aircraft mismatch and turns back to avoid further complications — and suddenly it’s a full-blown, clutch-your-pearls crisis.
Same mistake — very different outrage.
You usually cite comparable incidents in your posts, Ben — surprising this AA one didn’t make the cut.
I don’t see any pearl clutching in this post. Reads more like a bizarre situation caused by a weird technicality.
Calling Hindu Kush a high terrain.
It's a mountain range.
Calling it a high terrain is those 420 trolling you all.
It’s unlikely to be Canadian paperwork. Airlines swap frequently eg my last trip was delayed 10 mins due to a swap from a 777-200 to an A350. I would tend to believe it’s technical. In which case, it’s covered by the Canadian APPR as well as the Indian DGCA.
Ho hum Air India once again …. No Thankyou
India gonna India