A potentially serious runway incident was averted at Mumbai airport on Tuesday night after an Air India flight preparing to depart for Delhi was forced to abort its take-off because an Air India Express aircraft had not yet cleared the same runway.
According to the Times of India, the incident took place around 9.40 pm when Air India flight AI816, operating from Mumbai to Delhi, had entered Runway 27 and begun its take-off roll. At the same time, Air India Express flight AIX1547, arriving from Bagdogra (Siliguri), had landed on the same runway and was still in the process of vacating it, sources told TOI.
With both aircraft on the same runway, Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructed the Air India crew to immediately discontinue the take-off.
"The crew operating flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi on July 7 discontinued the take-off run after receiving an instruction to do so from the Air Traffic Control and returned to the bay," an Air India spokesperson said.
The airline said the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft would undergo mandatory safety checks as per standard operating procedures before returning to service.
"The aircraft would undergo necessary checks as per standard operating procedures," the spokesperson added, saying that alternative arrangements were being made to fly passengers to Delhi at the earliest.
Sources told TOI that the Air India Express flight AIX1547 was operated using a Boeing 737 MAX 8 and had landed only seconds before the Air India aircraft began its take-off preparations.
No injuries or damage were reported, and the incident was resolved after the Air India aircraft returned safely to the bay following the ATC instruction.
The airline did not disclose any additional details about the circumstances that led to both aircraft being on the same runway. Aviation authorities are expected to review the incident as part of standard safety procedures.
