(Commonwealth_India) An Air India flight from Milan to Delhi was cancelled on Friday night after a technical problem was found on the aircraft, leaving dozens of passengers stranded in Italy. The airline said the issue required more maintenance time than expected, and the decision to cancel the flight was made “entirely in the interest of passenger and crew safety.”
Flight AI138, which was scheduled to take off from Milan’s Malpensa Airport at 9 p.m. local time on October 17, was meant to arrive in Delhi around 9:30 a.m. the following morning. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was already prepared for boarding when the airline’s engineers detected a problem that couldn’t be fixed immediately. Rather than risk flying with an unresolved fault or delaying passengers indefinitely, Air India made the difficult call to cancel the flight altogether.
The news came as a shock to passengers, many of whom had already checked in and cleared security. Some were returning home after long trips, while others were travelling for business or family events. The announcement sent a ripple of disappointment through the terminal. “People were confused at first, then everyone started asking what would happen next,” said one passenger. We just wanted to know how long we’d be stuck.”
Air India quickly began arranging hotels, meals, and transportation for the stranded travelers. But with limited hotel rooms available near the airport, the airline had to accommodate some passengers at hotels farther away. “We made sure everyone received proper accommodation and meals,” the airline said in a statement. “Our teams remained on the ground to help passengers and arrange rebookings as quickly as possible.”
Many passengers were rescheduled to fly on or after October 20, depending on seat availability on Air India and partner airlines. The airline said it was doing everything possible to get travelers home sooner. In one special case, a passenger whose Schengen visa was set to expire on October 20 was rebooked on another airline’s flight departing Milan on October 19 to ensure she could leave the European Union in time.
For some travelers, the delay was more than just an inconvenience. A few had connecting flights or family waiting for them in India. “I was supposed to reach Delhi for my brother’s wedding,” said one passenger. “It’s disappointing, but I’d rather they cancel than risk something midair.” Others echoed similar feelings, acknowledging that the airline staff tried their best to handle an unexpected and stressful situation. “They were polite and did what they could,” another traveller said. “You could tell they were under pressure too.”
The cancellation comes at a challenging time for Air India. The airline, along with others in India, has been tightening safety checks and maintenance procedures since the tragic Air India crash near Ahmedabad in June, which claimed 260 lives. Though the investigation is ongoing, the incident has made airlines far more cautious about even minor technical difficulties.
Industry experts say this extra caution, while disruptive, is necessary. “It’s far better for a flight to be cancelled than for safety to be compromised,” said an aviation analyst. “Airlines are being extra careful right now, and passengers should see that as a good thing, even if it causes temporary inconvenience.”
Air India has continued to provide hotel stays, meals, and transport to passengers stranded in Milan. Additional staff have been deployed at the airport to assist with logistics and ensure that rebookings go smoothly. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused,” the airline said. “The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew will always remain our highest priority.”
For now, passengers are waiting patiently for their new flights, though the experience has tested their endurance. Many have described the last few days as tiring and stressful, but most agree that the airline made the right call. “Of course, it’s frustrating,” said a passenger who has been in Milan for two extra nights. “But when it comes to flying, I’d rather be safe on the ground than sorry in the sky.”
As Air India works to clear the backlog and return operations to normal, the Milan incident serves as a reminder of the difficult balance every airline must strike between keeping flights on time and keeping people safe. In the end, while schedules can be fixed and flights rescheduled, safety will always remain non-negotiable.
