Bengaluru-Bound Air India Flight Cancelled Moments Before Takeoff At Vijayawada Airport

Vijayawada: An Air India Express flight to Bengaluru was cancelled just minutes before takeoff on Thursday, September 4 at Vijayawada International Airport due to a bird hit. The incident took place when an eagle collided with the aircraft's nose while it was taxiing on the runway. Officials confirmed that the bird strike occurred prior to takeoff. Just a day ago, a Sharjah-bound Air India flight was cancelled in a similar manner due to a technical malfunction. he Air India Express flight IX 613 was scheduled to depart at 4. 25 am on Wednesday with 100 passengers on board. The technical issue was noticed as the aircraft was on the runway preparing for takeoff, leading to the cancellation. Passengers were provided with another flight after a ten-hour delay. 

There has been an increase in concerns following the Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash, which killed 260 people on June 12. Civil Aviation MoS Murlidhar Mohol informed the Lok Sabha in August that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had conducted 146 maintenance audits of major Indian airlines in 2025 (up to July). DGCA also ordered all airlines operating Boeing aircraft models to urgently inspect the critical locking mechanism of fuel control switches following the release of the preliminary probe report.  Although the report suggested pilot miscommunication,  Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu had said no conclusions should be drawn and urged people to wait for the final report. 

Recently, DGCA had issued its first-ever safety clearance for ground handling operations to Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS), a move seen as a major step in enhancing aviation safety standards in India. According to a statement issued by DGCA, "The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted Safety Clearance to Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS) for the first time, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening Safety Management Systems (SMS) and enhancing regulatory oversight in ground handling operations across India".

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