Three Air India narrow-body aircraft parked at Terminal 2 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were damaged after ground support equipment collided with them due to sudden strong winds and rain, the airport authority confirmed on Sunday.
Incident Details
The collision occurred on Saturday, forcing all three aircraft to be taken out of operation. According to the airport operator, the ground equipment belonging to Air India Engineering and IndiGo moved from their positions due to the sudden inclement weather, hitting the parked aircraft at Terminal 2.
The private operator also stated that the Air Traffic Control had not issued any warning about the change in weather to the airport operator or airlines.
Airline Response
Air India declined to comment on the incident. However, an airline source revealed that aircraft of other operators were also impacted by the hostile weather conditions. The source added that two of the three affected Air India planes are expected to return to service soon, while the third will require more time for repairs.
Background
The incident highlights the challenges posed by sudden weather changes at busy airports. Delhi's IGI Airport, one of the busiest in India, often experiences strong winds and rain during the monsoon season. Ground handling procedures are typically adjusted to mitigate such risks, but this event underscores the need for enhanced safety measures.
The damaged aircraft are narrow-body models, commonly used for domestic and short-haul international flights. The temporary loss of these planes may impact Air India's flight schedules, though the airline has not announced any cancellations yet.
Aviation authorities are likely to review the incident and may issue new guidelines for ground operations during adverse weather conditions.
