Vijayawada: An Air India Express flight bound for Visakhapatnam was cancelled at Gannavaram Airport near Vijayawada on Thursday night after a technical issue was detected before take-off, airport officials said.
The flight, which was scheduled to depart around 8:30 pm, was carrying several high-profile passengers, including former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K Atchennaidu and senior YSR Congress Party leader B Satyanarayana.
Vijayawada airport director Lakshmikanth Reddy said the aircraft developed an engine-related problem while taxiing on the runway. Following the detection of the issue, the pilot decided to return the aircraft to the bay, after which the flight was cancelled as a precautionary measure.
An Air India Express spokesperson confirmed that the technical snag was identified prior to departure. The airline said the decision to cancel the flight was taken in the interest of passenger safety, reiterating that safety remains the highest priority in all its operations.
The airline arranged hotel accommodation for the affected passengers and offered them options of a full refund or complimentary rescheduling on an alternative flight. Air India Express also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused due to the cancellation.
Airport authorities clarified that the cancelled service was operated by Air India Express and that necessary safety protocols were followed promptly after the issue was detected.
