New Delhi: An Air India Express-operated Boeing 737 Max 8 (registration VT-BXZ) was grounded just minutes before takeoff after pilots reported a technical issue during the engine start sequence. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport.
The Flight IX 193, carrying 166 passengers and crew, was scheduled to depart for Dubai at 8:45 AM. However, the aircraft was unable to take off due to the last-minute issue flagged by the cockpit crew. Interestingly, the same flight had arrived from Dubai earlier that morning as flight IX 194, landing in Lucknow at 8:15 AM.
An official source at the airport revealed that passengers were informed about the cancellation after they had boarded the aircraft. According to the source, “Passengers were informed of the cancellation shortly after boarding.” Meanwhile, Air India Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, gave passengers the option to either seek a refund or reschedule their journey, with hotel accommodation provided at the airline’s expense.
Earlier, an Air India Express flight (IX 2816) from Lucknow to Hyderabad was canceled Sunday morning, just minutes before boarding. Sources at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport stated the pilot declared the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft unfit for flight, leading to intervention from the ground support crew. Approximately 150 passengers were scheduled to depart on the 8:40 AM flight.
