A Delhi airport source confirmed that AI 185 had returned at 19:19 on Thursday, almost seven hours after it took off. It took off again with all passengers on Friday in the correct model aircraft.
Another source said the decision to immediately return the plane was taken after the error was discovered to avoid further complications. “The situation could have been explained and special permission obtained from the Canadian authorities. But again, when we were leaving from there, problems would arise, as a lot of documentation has to be done before each trip. This could also pose a problem. So, returning was a prudent choice,” he said.
The LR aircraft is actually a superior model to the ER and has superior features, the source added.
In a statement, the airline said, “Air India flight AI185, operating from Delhi to Vancouver on March 19, returned to Delhi due to an operational problem and in accordance with standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew were disembarked.”
The fliers were put up in a hotel and given all the necessary assistance, the airline said. “The flight left this morning (Friday) with all the passengers,” he added.
