Air India New: Three Air India Airbus A320 aircraft parked at Delhi Airport’s Terminal-II sustained damage during adverse weather conditions on Sunday evening after strong winds caused ground equipment and debris to strike the planes, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The incident occurred at around 4:30 pm on June 7 while the aircraft were stationed on the ground at the airport.
“On 07th June 2026, three Air India A320 aircraft parked at the Delhi Airport terminal –II were damaged by ground equipment/foreign object debris (FOD) during adverse weather conditions around 16:30 IST,” said DGCA.
Preliminary information shared by the aviation regulator indicates that two pieces of ground support equipment, which were positioned at an adjacent aircraft stand and nearby operational areas, were displaced by strong winds. The equipment subsequently moved from its designated locations and collided with two separate Air India aircraft, causing damage at multiple points.
In a separate incident linked to the same weather event, the right-side sliding window of another Air India A320 was damaged after being hit by foreign object debris (FOD).
“Due to strong winds, two ground equipment positioned at adjacent stand and in nearby areas moved from their locations and hit two different aircraft at various positions causing damage. In addition, the right-hand sliding window of another aircraft sustained damage due to FOD impact,” the official statement added.
Following the incidents, all three aircraft have been taken out of service and grounded for detailed inspection and necessary maintenance work.
The DGCA said it has initiated an investigation to determine the sequence of events and assess the circumstances that led to the damage. The regulator will examine whether existing safety protocols for securing ground equipment during adverse weather conditions were adequately followed.
No injuries have been reported in connection with the incidents.
The affected aircraft will return to operations only after completing inspections and receiving the required maintenance clearances, officials said.
Air India, Riyadh Air sign agreement
Air India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air. This MoU will lay the foundation for a partnership that will provide seamless connectivity to passengers between India, Saudi Arabia and other destinations. According to a press release, the MoU reflects the shared ambition of both full-service premium carriers to boost global connectivity for travellers flying between India, Saudi Arabia, and beyond, leveraging the geographical advantages of their hubs at Delhi, Mumbai, and Riyadh.
Subject to regulatory approvals, Air India and Riyadh Air intend to launch interline and codeshare arrangements, enabling passengers to travel seamlessly on each other’s networks with the convenience of a single booking and smooth onward connectivity through their respective hubs.
Air India’s ‘Mango Express’ takes flight
On a humid Mumbai evening, as Air India’s wide-body aircraft prepared for their overnight flights to London, New York and Frankfurt, the cargo compartments beneath the passenger cabins filled with an unexpected but eagerly awaited passenger: boxes of carefully packed mangoes, their aroma subdued but clearly identifiable. Every year, as the summer season begins in India, this tradition resumes. In 2026, the scale was truly astonishing.
According to a press release, between March and May 2026, Air India transported over 3,300 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables across its network.
Over 1,000 tonnes of that cargo consisted of mangoes, the fruit that occupies a near-mythic place in India’s culinary and cultural imagination, and an equally cherished one among diaspora communities abroad, as per the release.
