Air India is planning to operate a special flight to bring back stranded passengers from Shannon to Delhi after one of its flight was diverted to the Irish town over a technical problem, according to PTI. The development comes after Flight AI102, operating from New York’s JFK airport to Delhi, was forced to make a precautionary diversion and remained grounded there. 

A PTI report, citing an official on Tuesday, said the airline is looking to run the special flight from Zurich on Wednesday to ferry affected passengers onward to Delhi. The disruption has drawn attention online as passengers remained stuck for over a day following the diversion. AviationAll stated in an X post, “Air India Flight AI102, from New York to Delhi which diverted to Shannon yesterday is still stranded after 34+ hours.” The account also noted that while reports suggested a replacement aircraft was being sent from Zurich, tracking data did not appear to support that at the time.

Air India’s statement

Sources from Air India told Financial Express that an alternate flight will take the stranded passengers onward to Delhi from Shannon today, and they are expected to reach home by tonight. The official added that customers were taken care of with hotel accommodation and were also assisted in observing immigration and customs protocols.

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Why was Air India’s New York-Delhi flight diverted to Shannon?

Air India had earlier said the aircraft was diverted as a precaution. In a statement cited by PTI, the airline said, “Flight AI102, operating from New York (JFK) to Delhi on 15 March, made a precautionary diversion to Shannon, Ireland, following a suspected technical issue.” It added that the aircraft was undergoing detailed checks before being cleared for further operations.

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The airline also said, “Consistent with Air India’s high safety standards, the aircraft is currently subject to extensive technical evaluations, which will require extra time to complete.” Sources cited by PTI said the aircraft experienced vibrations and noise, prompting the diversion after it had already been airborne for nearly six hours.

When will stranded passengers be flown back to Delhi?

The delay has extended beyond a day, with passengers remaining stranded in Shannon following the diversion. While unofficial reports suggested that a replacement aircraft could be sent from Zurich, the airline’s official plan, as cited by PTI, is to operate a special flight on Wednesday.

The aircraft involved is an A350 that joined the Air India fleet in April 2024.