Air India flight to Chennai returns to Mumbai mid-air after burning smell in cabin

An Air India flight bound for Chennai was forced to return to Mumbai shortly after takeoff on Friday, June 27, after the crew detected a burning smell inside the cabin, the airline confirmed in a statement released Saturday.

According to an Air India spokesperson, as quoted by ANI, the crew of flight AI639 operating from Mumbai to Chennai on June 27, 2025, made a precautionary air-return to Mumbai due to a burning smell in the cabin.

“The flight landed safely back in Mumbai, and an aircraft change was initiated. Our ground colleagues in Mumbai provided all necessary support to passengers to minimise the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption,” the spokesperson added.

Also Read: Mumbai-bound Ethiopian Airlines' Dreamliner makes emergency landing after mid-air depressurisation; 7 fall ill

These incidents come weeks after the crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, which was en route to London. The crash claimed the lives of 241 out of 242 people on board, prompting a series of inspections and internal safety reviews across India’s aviation sector.

Two other mid-flight alerts on same day
In a separate incident the same day, Air India reported a non-specific security alert on one of its aircraft. The flight was later cleared after undergoing standard security checks.

“A non-specific security alert was detected on one of our aircraft. Standard security procedures were duly carried out, and the aircraft has been cleared for the next flight. Air India accords top priority to the safety and security of its passengers and crew,” the Air India spokesperson said, as per ANI.

Also on Friday, an Air India Express flight (IX2564) flying from Delhi to Jammu had to turn back mid-flight after a technical issue was identified. The Airbus A320 aircraft, which took off from Delhi at 11:04 AM, was originally scheduled to land in Jammu by 12:05 PM.

“An alternative aircraft was arranged to operate our Delhi-Jammu flight after the original aircraft returned to Delhi due to a technical issue. We regret the inconvenience caused,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.