Air India Express Flight Aborts Takeoff at Thiruvananthapuram Airport Due to Technical Snag
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On the morning of July 10, 2026, an Air India Express flight preparing to fly from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to Bengaluru ran into trouble just as it was about to leave the ground. The flight, numbered IX2980, was scheduled to depart at 7:05 a.m.
As the aircraft began its takeoff run, it picked up speed along the runway in the normal way. However, partway through this process, the speed unexpectedly dropped. This is not something that happens in a routine takeoff, and it prompted the flight crew to stop the attempt altogether rather than continue into the air.
Airport officials later explained that the sudden change in speed was linked to a technical snag detected in the aircraft. Because safety checks are built into every stage of a flight, pilots are trained to call off a takeoff the moment something appears abnormal, even if the plane has already started moving fast down the runway.
Following the aborted attempt, the aircraft returned to a stop, and the passengers who had boarded for the Bengaluru trip remained seated inside the plane while the situation was being assessed. At the time this was reported, there was no indication of any injuries or damage.
Air India said it would organise another aircraft to complete the journey for the passengers who had been booked on the affected flight, so that their travel plans to Bengaluru would not be disrupted for long.
Such abandoned takeoffs, while alarming for passengers, are a standard safety measure in aviation. Airlines and pilots are trained to prioritise caution over schedule, choosing to stop and investigate rather than risk flying with an unresolved technical issue.
The incident adds to a string of recent technical issues reported on Indian carriers, drawing attention to maintenance and safety checks across the aviation sector. Regulatory bodies typically require airlines to file reports on such incidents and inspect the aircraft before it is allowed to fly again.
For now, the focus remains on ensuring the stranded passengers reach Bengaluru safely on the replacement flight, while the airline is expected to examine the grounded aircraft to identify and fix the technical fault before it returns to service.
Why it matters
Test yourself
1. Which airline operated the flight that aborted its takeoff?
2. What was the flight number of the aborted flight?
3. From which city did the flight depart?
4. What was the intended destination of the flight?
5. At what time was the flight originally scheduled to depart?
6. What caused the takeoff to be aborted?
7. What happened to the aircraft's speed during the takeoff attempt?
8. Where were the passengers after the takeoff was aborted?
9. What action did Air India take for the affected passengers?
10. On what date did this incident occur?
Your notes
Source: The Hindu