Delhi-Pune Air India flight hit by bird, return leg cancelled

An Air India flight from Delhi to Pune suffered a bird hit upon landing on Friday, prompting the airline to cancel its return leg to the capital.

The aircraft, which landed safely in Pune, was grounded after a bird strike was detected during post-landing checks. “Flight AI2470, scheduled to operate from Pune to Delhi on June 20, has been cancelled due to a bird hit detected after the incoming flight landed safely,” the airline said in a statement.

Extensive inspections are being carried out by Air India’s engineering team. In the meantime, the airline said it is offering full refunds or complimentary rescheduling to affected passengers and is making alternative travel arrangements and accommodation for those stranded in Pune.

Also Read: Tragic! London-bound A-I plane with 242 passengers crashes near Ahmedabad airport

In a separate development, Air India cancelled eight other flights on Friday, citing enhanced maintenance and operational reasons. These include four international services — AI906 (Dubai–Chennai), AI308 (Delhi–Melbourne), AI309 (Melbourne–Delhi), and AI2204 (Dubai–Hyderabad) — and four domestic routes — AI874 (Pune–Delhi), AI456 (Ahmedabad–Delhi), AI2872 (Hyderabad–Mumbai), and AI571 (Chennai–Mumbai).

The airline said its ground teams are assisting passengers with rebooking and are working to ensure they reach their destinations as soon as possible.