Air India flight AI185 to Vancouver returned to Delhi on March 19, 2026, after 8 hours airborne (4 hours outbound), having deployed an unauthorized Boeing 777-200LR lacking Canadian regulatory clearance.
Incident Details
The flight departed Delhi at 11:34 AM eastward via China (near Kunming), realizing the error mid-journey. Only 777-300ER variant approved for Canada; plane VT-AEI landed safely, passengers/crew disembarked without injuries.
Airline Response
Air India cited “operational issue” and adherence to SOPs, regretting inconvenience. No compensation details; rebooking handled. Follows November 2025 DGCA ₹1 crore fine for 8 ARC-less A320neo flights.
Implications
Costly lapse (fuel, delays) highlights pre-flight verification gaps post-Tata merger; aviation protocols demand variant-specific approvals.
