**Air India flight bound for Vancouver returns to Delhi after seven hours**
This event occurred on Thursday, March 19, 2026, involving Air India flight AI185, which was set to fly from Delhi (DEL) to Vancouver (YVR). Although this route is typically serviced by a Boeing 777-300ER, on this occasion, the aircraft was changed to a Boeing 777-200LR with the registration number VT-AEI. Notably, this 16-year-old aircraft is one of the previously used Delta 777s that Air India obtained (which is now in the process of being phased out).
The flight was supposed to depart at 10:55 AM but ended up taking off at 12:18 PM, slightly delayed. It began its journey to the east, initially traversing India, then over Bangladesh and Myanmar, before entering the airspace of China.
However, shortly after three hours of flight, just after crossing the city of Kunming, the aircraft reversed course and retraced nearly the same path back to its departure point. It landed in Delhi at 7:18 PM, a total of seven hours after its initial takeoff.
The airline has refrained from providing specific details regarding the cause of the return to Delhi, simply stating that it was due to “an operational issue and in accordance with established standard operating procedures.” Subsequently, the airline accommodated passengers in a hotel and arranged a replacement flight for the following day.
**What “operational issue” led to this Air India diversion?**
It’s uncommon for an ultra long haul flight to simply return hours after takeoff, particularly when there’s no apparent problem with the aircraft or passengers onboard.
Significantly, the flight was changed from a Boeing 777-300ER to a Boeing 777-200LR, which leads to the inference that the usage of the 777-200LR on this route may have been problematic. The prevailing assumption seems to be that Air India is only permitted to fly 777-300ERs to Canada, based on the bilateral air rights the airline holds with Canada. This is not indicative of any inherent issues with the 777-200LR, but rather a procedural detail.
Now, View from the Wing asserts that the information circulating elsewhere is incorrect, claiming to have clarified what transpired. It is suggested that the matter likely pertains to onboard oxygen supplies:
> Air India operates routes over the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush. They will utilize a trajectory that passes closely to the Hindu Kush’s elevated terrain, avoiding airspace over both Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, this necessitates additional oxygen onboard. The legacy Air India aircraft have it, whereas the Delta models do not, and they are not a permanent part of the fleet so they haven’t received the requisite investment.
>
> The ex-Delta aircraft is equipped with passenger oxygen intended to last approximately 12 minutes. However, the emergency descent profile over elevated terrain might necessitate more than that. Requirements for passenger oxygen depend on whether an airplane can drop to a safe altitude swiftly while maintaining terrain clearance.
While this is an intriguing theory, I find it difficult to reconcile it completely. The very same 777-200LR used for this flight has frequently traveled to San Francisco (SFO), which takes nearly the same route out of Delhi. Additionally, unless I’m overlooking something, this particular flight did not operate near the high terrain of the Hindu Kush, which lies in the opposite direction?
Thus, I am inclined to support the original explanation, believing this to be merely an administrative issue with the Canadian authorities.
**Conclusion**
Passengers on Air India traveling to Vancouver encountered a bit of an unexpected experience, as the flight turned back after several hours in transit. This was attributed to an “operational issue,” which is the extent of information provided by the airline.
Air India generally services this route with a Boeing 777-300ER, but on this occasion, a Boeing 777-200LR was utilized. It seems probable that this was just a paperwork matter, although it is challenging to ascertain with absolute certainty.
**What are your thoughts on this Air India diversion?**