Air India Flight Returns To Delhi As Pilot Suspects Technical Glitch; Lufthansa Flight Back To Frankfurt After Bomb Threat Mail

Days after the devastating Air India aviation mishap in Ahmedabad, the pilot of a domestic flight of the same airline carrying 168 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing at Delhi as the aircraft developed a technical snag immediately after take-off from Delhi to Vadodara on Sunday evening.

In a separate incident, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt was forced to return to its base mid-air on Sunday, after passengers were told it was not permitted to land in India as Hyderabad airport received a bomb threat mail involving the mentioned aircraft.

Both the aviation developments occured within days after the deadliest plane crashes of recent times in which, Air India's London-bound flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed soon after takeoff from Gujarat's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12 and killed everyone on board, except one.

The flight carrying 232 passengers and 12 crew members was en route to London Gatwick Airport. As per reports, the plane was being flown by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar.

Air India Flight Returns To IGI Airport

On Sunday evening, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, Air India's AI 819, an A321neo, had a delayed departure of 6:51 p.m. from Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) instead of the scheduled departure of 6:25 p.m.

The flight returned to IGI by 7:20 p.m. after the captain suspected technical glitches, and the passengers were given rescheduling options as well.

As per a report by The Indian Express, airline sources told, "The flight had taken off from IGI when the captain suspected an issue with the landing gear within a few minutes of being airborne. As a matter of abundant caution, he decided to return back."

"Multiple safety checks were carried out as soon as it returned. Everything was found to be alright," the source added.

Lufthansa Flight Returns To Base After Bomb Threat Mail

On Sunday, June 15, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt was forced to return to its base mid-air, after passengers were told it was not permitted to land in India.

"Out of an abundance of caution, Lufthansa flight LH752 from Frankfurt to Hyderabad returned to its point of departure after authorities were made aware of a bomb threat posted on social media," Lufthansa spokesperson said in the statement.

The announcement came after a bomb threat email targeting Lufthansa flight LH 752 was received at the Hyderabad airport at 6:01 pm on 15th June 2025. It has been reported that a bomb threat assessment committee was formed, and all procedures were followed as per SOP.

Airport sources on Monday told PTI, “A bomb threat email targeting Lufthansa flight LH 752 was received at the Hyderabad airport at 18:01 hrs on 15th June 2025."

“We can confirm that there was a return to Frankfurt Airport. For further information, please contact the Federal Police or the airline," the spokesperson said.

Flight LH752, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed from Germany around 14.14 local time on Sunday and was scheduled to land at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport early Monday.

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) received a notification that the aircraft was turning back to Frankfurt shortly after departing Germany.

A passenger on board the flight told the news agency PTI from Frankfurt Airport that they were being provided overnight accommodation as their flight was rescheduled for Monday morning.

“It was a smooth flight, and after about two hours in the air, we were told that we would be returning to Frankfurt. Now at the airport, they are providing us accommodation for the night and have told us that we will fly out tomorrow morning at 10 am on the same flight," she said.

A Frankfurt Airport spokesperson confirmed that LH752 had landed back in Germany.