Air India fumble leaves SFO flight stranded in Mongolia
Air India announced plans on Tuesday to dispatch a rescue aircraft to Mongolia for stranded travelers whose Delhi-bound plane made an emergency stop after encountering possible mechanical problems. The carrier will send flight AI183 from Delhi during afternoon hours to collect passengers who were aboard the diverted San Francisco service, with their arrival back in India expected on Wednesday morning.
Flight AI174 landed without incident at Ulaanbaatar on Monday following crew concerns about potential technical difficulties during the journey. Air India has arranged hotel rooms for affected travelers and flight staff while working alongside Mongolian officials and the Indian diplomatic mission. The aircraft remains grounded as technicians complete required inspections.
Separately, aviation regulators granted the airline permission last week to extend pilot duty limits for its Boeing 787 aircraft serving European destinations. The adjustment addresses longer flight times caused by restrictions on using Pakistani airspace. Maximum duty periods for two-pilot crews rose to 14 hours from 13 hours, while allowed flying time increased to 10 hours and 30 minutes from 10 hours.
