3 snag-hit flights return to base

New Delhi: Sunday night proved to be an action-packed one at the IGI airport with three aircraft developing snags one after the other.
Pilots of all three aircraft — two of Indian Airlines (A 320s) and one of Air India (Boeing 767) — detected the snag soon after the flights started moving and had to return to base. While Indian had the troubles sorted out fast, the Maharaja seems to be saddled with yet another snag-prone aircraft. The same Boeing 767 has been developing snags time and again in the past few weeks. While on Sunday night it failed to take off, it had earlier this month developed a suspected snag because of which it could land only on second attempt.
Since the plane is on a wet lease from a UK-based company that is responsible for providing the pilots as also maintaining the aircraft, AI has asked the firm to act fast. ‘‘This plane has been developing snags in past few weeks. We have told the Euro Atlantic, from whom the plane’s been leased for a year as an interim move. They are now flying out the plane to Middle East for a thorough check,’’ said S Venkat, AI’s executive director (PR).
24/04/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Air India Apr 2007, Airports Apr 2007, Indian Apr 2007, Safety Apr 2007