Exclusive: Air India Express flight aborts takeoff suddenly at Delhi Airport

New Delhi: A Mumbai-bound Air India Express plane, with around 160 passengers onboard, aborted takeoff due to a technical snag at the Delhi airport on Wednesday evening, according to a source.

An Air India Express spokesperson said the crew of one of our flights from Delhi elected to reject takeoff prioritising safety following a minor technical issue.

The source said that the pilot decided to abort takeoff as there was a glitch with the screens displaying the speed parameters in the cockpit.

The spokesperson said that passengers were deboarded and accommodated in an alternative aircraft, which has departed for Mumbai.

"We regret the inconvenience while reiterating that safety remains paramount in all our operations," the spokesperson said in a statement.

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Senior journalist Ashoke Raj, who shared the incident on X (formerly Twitter), reported that passengers expressed concerns over the crew’s silence and lack of clarity on what had triggered the aborted takeoff. “Many passengers are now refusing to travel on the same aircraft and can be heard voicing their concerns to the airline staff,” Raj noted.

According to passengers, a major mishap was narrowly avoided at Delhi Airport. An Air India Express @AirIndiaX flight, scheduled to depart for Mumbai at 21:20 hrs, was about to take off when it suddenly came to a hard stop on runway and returned to the bay. Passengers, who were… pic.twitter.com/d4QxScCXIO

— Ashoke Raj (@Ashoke_Raj) July 23, 2025

Several videos posted from the tarmac and inside the cabin show agitated passengers engaging with airline personnel, demanding answers and alternative travel arrangements.