Air India Flight Diverts to Russia: The diversion of the Boeing 777 widebody aircraft comes amid a global debate over the use of Russian airspace by certain carriers, with the chief of United Airlines warning Monday of the hazards of an American-flagged plane being forced to land in Russia. It stated that the 216 passengers and 16 crew members were being assisted on the ground and housed in local hotels for the night.
Air India announced on Tuesday that a plane en route from Delhi to San Francisco was forced to make an emergency landing in Russia’s Far East due to a technical issue with one of its engines. The diversion of the Boeing 777 widebody aircraft comes amid a global debate over the use of Russian airspace by certain carriers, with the chief of United Airlines warning Monday of the hazards of an American-flagged plane being forced to land in Russia.
Air India stated that the 216 passengers and 16 crew members were being assisted on the ground and housed in local hotels for the night. Given its intended destination, U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel stated on Tuesday that it is “likely” that there are Americans on board.
“We are aware that a flight bound for the United States was forced to make an emergency landing in Russia, and we are continuing to closely monitor this situation,” Patel said. Wednesday, the airline will dispatch a plane to gather them up and transport them to their original destination.
Air India Flight Diverts to Russia after Engine Issue
“The authorities are extending full cooperation in an effort to expeditiously and safely transport passengers to their destinations,” it stated. Air India stated that it could not disclose any passenger information.
Russia’s aviation authority stated it was inspecting the plane’s technical condition after it landed at Magadan airport and had authorised the alternate flight to land there at 03:00 GMT on Wednesday. It was slated to depart from Delhi at 18:35 GMT. “Currently, border, customs, and regional authorities are resolving the issue of passengers’ stay and accommodations,” Rosaviatsia said earlier in the day.
Port city on the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, Magadan airport did not respond to a request for comment. The diversion also raises concerns regarding the speed with which the $200 million Boeing 777, a prominent U.S.-built aircraft whose engines are manufactured by General Electric, can be repaired in light of U.S. and European Union sanctions on exports of aviation items to Russia.
In 2018, a Norwegian Air Boeing 737 with engine difficulties made an emergency landing in Iran weeks after Washington reimposed sanctions and was stranded there for over two months. The next day, the 186 passengers and six crew members were able to depart Shiraz. However, despite initial assurances from the airline that the plane would be returned promptly, a GE engine venture waited weeks for an export licence from the U.S. Treasury.
Delhi to San Francisco Route
The U.S. Department of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment immediately. Patel declined to comment on whether the United States would authorise the export of spare parts if necessary. GE Aerospace stated that it was aware of the diversion and was collaborating with Air India to resolve the issue.
BANNED CEO of Air India Campbell Wilson defended the airline’s use of Russian airspace on Monday, stressing the industry’s vital role in connecting economies, people, and cultures.
“Air India operates within the parameters provided by the nation of India, and not all nations agree,” he said on a panel at the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Russia has prohibited U.S. and other foreign airlines from using its airspace in retaliation for Washington’s March 2022 restriction on Russian flights over the United States following the deployment of Russian forces in Ukraine.
However, Air India and certain Gulf-based, Chinese, and African airlines continue to fly over Russia, thereby reducing flight durations and rendering American competitors uncompetitive. Senators from the United States urged the Biden administration in February to prohibit Chinese and other non-American airlines from flying over Russia on U.S. routes.
The previous week, Reuters reported that Chinese airlines are avoiding Russian airspace on four newly authorised flights to and from the United States. According to FlightRadar24, Air India continued to fly over Russia after the incident, with four flights over the country on Tuesday afternoon.
