‘No Damage, AI273 Cleared for Ops’: Air India Clarifies After Bird Hit Grounds Chennai-Bound Flight

Chennai: Hours after Air India’s Colombo-Chennai flight suffered a bird strike, the airlines issued a statement on Tuesday, clarifying that thorough inspection revealed no visible damage and the aircraft was cleared for further operations.

"On 7 October, the flight crew of AI273 operating from Chennai to Colombo, reported a suspected bird strike. After landing at Colombo, the engineers who inspected the aircraft found no damage, and the aircraft was cleared for operation. The same aircraft operated flight AI274 from Colombo to Chennai as per schedule. Upon routine post-flight checks at Chennai, the engineers observed an impact on an engine blade. Consequently, the aircraft has been grounded for further inspections and to ascertain the cause of the damage." said  an Air India Spokesperson.  

However, following its safe landing in Chennai with 158 passengers on board, Air India engineers, during standard post-flight checks, discovered signs of impact on one of the engine blades. As a result, the aircraft was immediately grounded for further examination to determine the extent and cause of the damage.

Although the aircraft had earlier passed inspections in Colombo with no signs of external damage, the later discovery in Chennai prompted the airline to cancel the return service to Colombo. Air India arranged an alternative aircraft to accommodate 137 passengers who were scheduled to travel back to Sri Lanka.

All passengers and crew members of the affected flight disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported. The airline emphasized its commitment to ensuring safety through rigorous inspection protocols and swift action in such incidents.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed, and a detailed investigation is underway.