A Chennai-bound Air India flight from Mumbai returned to its origin airport after a burning smell came from inside the cabin, the airline’s spokesperson said on Saturday, confirming the return.
The flight AI639 “safely” made the precautionary return to Mumbai airport on June 27.
An Air India spokesperson said, “The crew of flight AI639 operating from Mumbai to Chennai on Friday, 27 June 2025, made a precautionary air-return to Mumbai due to a burning smell in the cabin.”
“The flight landed safely back in Mumbai, and an aircraft change was initiated. Our ground colleagues in Mumbai provided all necessary support to passengers to minimise the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew remain top priority,” the spokesperson added.
In another separate incident, a non-specific security alert was detected on one of Air India’s aircraft on Friday. The airline’s spokesperson said that following security procedures, the aircraft was cleared for the next flight.
“A non-specific security alert was detected on one of our aircraft. Standard security procedures were duly carried out, and the aircraft has been cleared for the next flight. Air India accords top priority to the safety and security of its passengers and crew,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier, an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Jammu also made a forced return to its origin point due to a technical issue mid-flight.
The flight, an Airbus A320 aircraft, was scheduled to depart at 10:40 am but took off after a delay of over 20 minutes, at 11:04 am. According to Flighradar24 website, the flight was expected to land in Jammu at 12:05 pm, instead was diverted back to the national capital.
An Air India Express spokesperson confirmed the development and said, “An alternative aircraft was arranged to operate our Delhi-Jammu flight after the original aircraft returned to Delhi due to a technical issue. We regret the inconvenience caused.”
The recent security-related issues with aircraft, especially those of Air India, have been hitting the headlines following the June 12 crash of the Gatwick-bound plane in Ahmedabad, killing 270 persons. Of the deceased, 241 were on board the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight, while the remaining 29 were those present on the ground.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is currently investigating the tragic plane crash.
