A potentially catastrophic incident was narrowly avoided at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Tuesday evening, July 7, when two aircraft from the same parent company, Air India, came face-to-face on an active runway.
The incident occurred around 10 PM IST. An Air India Express flight, AIX1547, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 that had just landed from Siliguri, was still occupying the runway. Simultaneously, Air India flight AI816, a wide-body Boeing 777-300 ER bound for Delhi, had been cleared by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to commence its take-off roll.
ATC Intervention Prevents Runway Collision
Alert Air Traffic Controllers quickly spotted the dangerous proximity and issued an immediate instruction to the crew of the Delhi-bound Air India aircraft to abort its take-off. The pilots responded promptly, bringing the Boeing 777 to a safe halt before it reached take-off speed.
An Air India spokesperson confirmed the sequence of events, stating, "The crew operating flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi on July 7 discontinued the take-off run after receiving an instruction to do so from the Air Traffic Control and returned to the bay."
Investigation Expected into Safety Breach
Aborting a take-off run, the phase where an aircraft accelerates down the runway before becoming airborne, is a critical safety maneuver requiring swift action. The airline confirmed that the aircraft would undergo standard checks and that alternative arrangements were being made for passengers to reach Delhi.
While the number of passengers on board both aircraft was not disclosed, aviation safety authorities are expected to launch a full investigation into the serious runway incursion at one of India's busiest airports. This incident underscores the vital role of ATC and strict adherence to operational procedures in preventing aviation disasters.