Air India probe: 3 aircraft damaged at Delhi airport in weather chaos
Synopsis
Three Air India jets were damaged at Delhi's IGI Airport when ground handling equipment — belonging to Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo — was swept into parked aircraft by sudden storm winds. The probe's most consequential detail: ATC reportedly gave no advance warning, pointing to a potential gap in India's airport weather-alert chain.
Key Takeaways
Three Air India narrow-body aircraft were damaged at Terminal 2, IGI Airport, New Delhi on 8 June .
Ground handling equipment belonging to Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo was displaced by strong winds and heavy rain, colliding with the parked jets.
Airport officials say neither the airport operator nor airlines received advance warning from Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the sudden weather change.
Two of the three affected aircraft are expected to return to service soon; the third requires longer repairs.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast further thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 60 kmph over Delhi on 11–12 June .
A formal probe has been initiated; Air India had not commented on the incident at the time of reporting.
A formal investigation has been launched after three Air India narrow-body aircraft parked at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi were damaged on 8 June when ground support equipment was displaced by sudden adverse weather, according to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL). The incident has raised fresh questions about storm-preparedness protocols at one of India's busiest aviation hubs.
What Happened at Terminal 2
The damage occurred at Terminal 2 after a rapid onset of strong winds and heavy rainfall caused ground handling equipment — positioned near parked aircraft — to shift from its location and collide with the three Air India jets. All three aircraft were immediately withdrawn from service for detailed inspections and repairs.
DIAL confirmed that the displaced equipment belonged to Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo's ground handling operations. Reports also indicate that at least one aircraft belonging to another operator was affected by the severe weather conditions.
No Advance Warning from ATC, Say Officials
Airport officials stated that weather conditions deteriorated rapidly and unexpectedly, and that neither the airport operator nor the airlines had received any advance warning of the sudden weather change from Air Traffic Control (ATC). This detail is likely to be a focal point of the ongoing probe, as standard safety protocols typically require timely meteorological alerts to ground crews.
Notably, Air India had not issued an official comment on the incident at the time of reporting.
Repair Timeline and Operational Impact
Two of the three affected Air India aircraft are expected to return to operations in the near term, while repairs on the third aircraft may take considerably longer, according to airport officials. The grounding of multiple narrow-body jets simultaneously could place short-term pressure on Air India's domestic network capacity.
Broader Weather Context
Delhi-NCR has been experiencing a sharp deterioration in weather, with heavy rainfall lashing several parts of the region. Visuals from areas around IGI Airport showed rain sweeping across multiple localities in the vicinity. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast another spell of very light to light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching up to 60 kmph on 11 and 12 June, raising concerns about further disruptions at the airport.
This incident comes amid a broader pattern of increasing operational challenges posed by sudden weather disruptions at Indian airports, particularly during the monsoon season's early onset periods. With the IMD warning of more gusty conditions in the coming days, airport operators and airlines face mounting pressure to strengthen ground equipment protocols.
Point of View
Yet the industry has repeatedly treated post-incident probes as procedural exercises rather than drivers of systemic change. With monsoon season accelerating and Delhi's weather becoming more volatile, the question is not whether this will happen again, but whether the probe will produce binding changes to equipment-securing standards and ATC alert timelines before it does.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the three Air India aircraft to be damaged at Delhi airport?
The aircraft were damaged on 8 June when ground handling equipment positioned near parked jets at Terminal 2 of IGI Airport was displaced by sudden strong winds and heavy rainfall, causing it to collide with three Air India narrow-body aircraft. The equipment belonged to Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo's ground handling operations.
Has Air India commented on the incident?
Air India had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of reporting. DIAL confirmed the damage and the initiation of a formal probe.
Why is the lack of an ATC warning significant?
Airport officials stated that neither the airport operator nor the airlines received any advance warning from Air Traffic Control about the sudden weather deterioration. This is significant because timely meteorological alerts are a standard safety requirement that allows ground crews to secure equipment before conditions worsen.
When will the damaged Air India aircraft return to service?
Two of the three affected Air India aircraft are expected to return to operations in the near term. Repairs on the third aircraft are expected to take longer, according to airport officials.
Is more disruptive weather expected at Delhi airport?
Yes. The India Meteorological Department has forecast thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching up to 60 kmph over Delhi on 11 and 12 June, raising concerns about further ground operations disruptions at IGI Airport.
