Air India Flight to Bangkok Delayed for Hours by Hay in Wing
An Air India flight from Mumbai to Bangkok was delayed for over five hours after a peculiar discovery: hay was found stuck under the aircraft's wing. Passengers were disembarked and the hay was removed, but the flight could not depart immediately as the delay caused the original crew to exceed their regulated flight duty time. Air India has reported the bizarre incident to the DGCA and instructed its ground service provider to investigate the source of the hay.
Unpacked:
Hay could get stuck under an aircraft's wing if it was present on the tarmac or blown by wind from nearby landscaping or transport vehicles. The exact source is unclear, and Air India has asked its ground service provider to investigate how hay came to be on the runway or near the aircraft.
Foreign objects like hay can pose safety risks by interfering with aircraft systems, causing damage during takeoff, or even leading to fire hazards. Even small debris can impact sensitive parts, so strict protocols are followed to remove any such material and inspect for damage before flight.
Flight duty time regulations limit the number of hours flight crew can work within a period to prevent fatigue, which could compromise safety. The five-hour delay meant the original crew exceeded their legal duty limit and had to be replaced by a fresh crew before departure.
Recently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted safety checks at major airports and found several violations in maintenance and ground operations, prompting corrective orders. This follows increased scrutiny after serious incidents, such as a fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad.