MUMBAI— Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) diverted Flight AI 116 from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) to Medina Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED), Saudi Arabia, after a cockpit warning signaled a possible cargo fire mid-flight, Aviation A2Z reported earlier
The aircraft landed safely, and inspections confirmed the alert was false, but the incident triggered a baggage crisis that continues to affect passengers.
Air India Passengers’ Bags Stranded in Medina
One of the passengers on Air India Flight AI116 from New York (JFK) to Mumbai (BOM) reached out to Aviation A2Z and said they reached their destination, but not their belongings.
Air India has cited “geopolitical constraints” as the reason for the delay in baggage retrieval, without publicly clarifying what those constraints are or why bags could not be rerouted through Jeddah (JED), where the airline operates regular flights to Mumbai (BOM).
Flight AI116 was operating from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai when the flight crew received an aft cargo fire warning, prompting a priority landing at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) in Medina.
After landing in Medina, thorough inspections confirmed that the cargo fire alert was a false alarm, and no fire or related hazard was present on the aircraft.
After being on the ground for over four hours and 30 minutes, the aircraft departed from Medina (MED) and reached Mumbai (BOM) without any further disruption. The flight was operated by a Boeing 777-300ER registered as VT-AER. However, what passengers discovered upon landing in Mumbai was a separate problem entirely — their checked baggage had not made the journey with them.
Passengers only discovered upon arrival in Mumbai that their bags had not accompanied them. According to Mr. Bansal, a passenger who spoke with us, Air India left all checked bags behind in Medina without informing travelers during the diversion.
The airline has not explained why the baggage was offloaded or why it was not reloaded before the aircraft resumed its flight to Mumbai (BOM).
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Over 280 Bags Left Behind With No Return Timeline
Communication from Air India (AI) has been inconsistent throughout the episode. Passengers were initially told their bags were on the way to Jeddah (JED) and would arrive in Mumbai (BOM) by March 28. The airline has since shifted its position, citing geopolitical reasons and offering no confirmed timeline.
In an email sent to passengers, Air India acknowledged the situation, stating that geopolitical constraints were hampering baggage retrieval and that teams were working to reunite passengers with their bags. Despite this, the airline has provided no clarity on what those constraints specifically involve, and no bags have been returned as of the latest reports.
Passenger have been using Apple AirTags to track their luggage, with the device continuing to show bags located in Medina (MED). The lack of clarity around why baggage was offloaded and why it has not been forwarded to Mumbai has added to the frustration of affected travelers.
Notably, Air India (AI) operates nonstop daily flights between Jeddah (JED) and Mumbai (BOM), raising questions about why at least some bags cannot be transferred and dispatched on those services.
Medical Supplies and Expense Reimbursement Concerns
The situation has had serious consequences for some families. A passenger’s child, aged four, had urgent medicines packed in the checked baggage that remained stranded in Medina (MED). The family has been without those items for over a week since the March 19 diversion.
The situation has been particularly stressful for families traveling with children, with one passenger’s young son’s medications packed in checked baggage.
Requests made to Air India (AI) for interim expense reimbursement, to cover costs incurred due to the absence of checked bags, have gone unanswered. Passengers say the airline has provided no information on compensation procedures or eligibility criteria.
Similar Incident
Earlier in March 2026, Flight AI102, also traveling from New York (JFK) to Delhi (DEL), experienced a similar disruption.
After a suspected technical issue, the flight was diverted to Shannon Airport (SNN) in Ireland, where the aircraft was grounded for over 34 hours while engineers conducted inspections.
Air India arranged an evacuation flight for those passengers, which stands in contrast to the handling of the AI116 baggage situation, where no comparable resolution has been offered.
Bottom Line
The AI116 incident has drawn attention to a gap in Air India’s post-diversion passenger support framework, particularly around baggage accountability and communication standards.
With approximately 280 bags still stranded in Medina (MED) and no confirmed retrieval plan, the situation reflects a need for clearer protocols when a diversion results in checked luggage being left at a third-party airport.
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