Dubai flight suffers bird-hit, airliner faces Rs 2-crore setback

December 15, 2015

New Delhi, Dec 15: A private Gulf-based airline was the latest victim of bird-hit incident. And the cost it paid for the freak accident was a whopping Rs 2 crore. The bird hit the carrier while it was landing at the IGI Airport in New Delhi. According to the airline, the aircraft got delayed by about 15 hours after it received an almost 6-inch-long dent. The whole process of arranging another aircraft and hotel accommodation charges, fuel charges, etc, amounted to a Rs 2-crore setback, the airline claimed.

According to an airline official, the pilot of the flight coming from Dubai to Delhi on November 24 noticed a bird hitting the right wing of the aircraft while landing. After the flight landed, the airline decided to call the manufacturer of the aircraft but after four hours, the very same flight was supposed to take 370 passengers from the Delhi airport to Dubai got cancelled due to the bird hit. According to the airline, they immediately shifted passengers to hotel and called engineers from Dubai. "We cancelled the flight as we were not sure whether we can fly the aircraft or not. We called four engineers from Dubai along with replacemnet of the part which was dented due to the bird hit. Engineers took almost 48 hours to fit the new part," a senior official of gulf based airline told Mail Today.

A special flight was called from Dubai to take the passengers to Dubai. "On November 25, the special flight carrying no passengers landed at the IGI airport and then we accommodated all passengers. But this was not the end of the issue as the flight which got the 6-inch-long dent was lying at the IGI airport," the official added.

After almost 48 hours, on November 26, engineers changed the affected part and after inspection and clearance, the aircraft carrying no passenger took off for Dubai.

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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