A probe has been launched following an incident at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport where three Air India planes were damaged due to ground support equipment being displaced during adverse weather. The occurrence occurred at Terminal 2 on Sunday when strong winds and heavy rainfall caused the equipment near the parked aircraft to shift and collide with the planes. As a result, all three aircraft were taken out of service for detailed inspections and repairs.
The ground handling equipment involved belonged to Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo’s ground operations. Officials mentioned that the weather conditions deteriorated rapidly and unexpectedly, with no prior warning given to the airport operator or airlines by Air Traffic Control. Air India has not provided any comments on the incident as of now. Reports also suggest that an aircraft from another operator was impacted by the severe weather conditions.
While two of the affected Air India planes are expected to resume operations soon, repairs on the third aircraft may take longer. This incident highlights the operational challenges faced during sudden weather disruptions, especially in times of heavy rainfall and strong winds. The region of Delhi-NCR experienced a sudden weather shift with rainfall affecting various areas, including those around the airport. The India Meteorological Department has forecasted more light rainfall and thunderstorms with gusty winds up to 60 kmph on June 11 and 12.
