According to PTI, an Air India Express flight from Bagdogra to Delhi was forced to make an emergency landing at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow due to a mid-air smoke alert. According to the article, flight IX1523 was diverted to Lucknow on Monday evening after the pilot issued a ‘Mayday’ call, which is an internationally accepted distress signal used in life-threatening situations.
The call came when crew members noticed smoke in the aircraft’s avionics bay, which houses crucial electronic equipment. There were six crew members on board, and no casualties were reported.
“Prioritising safety, the crew operating one of our flights to Delhi elected to divert to Lucknow and carried out a priority landing following a smoke alert. The aircraft landed safely, and all guests were provided refreshments on arrival. They were subsequently re-accommodated on alternative flights to Delhi.”
According to a PTI report, some passengers received full refunds, while others were given hotel accommodations and rebooked on later flights. Following the incident, the aircraft was declared ‘Aircraft on Ground’ (AOG), a technical term signifying that the plane has been grounded due to a malfunction that necessitates prompt inspection and repair before flying again. According to the source, the aircraft remains parked at Lucknow airport.
