BANGKOK- A second Air India (AI) flight has suffered a hydraulic malfunction within 10 days, after the pilots of an Airbus A320 operating from Bangkok to New Delhi aborted the departure on Thursday evening, August 13, 2026.
Air India flight AI2335 was preparing for take-off from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) for New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) when the cockpit crew detected the technical problem.
The aircraft, carrying more than 250 passengers, came to a sudden halt as it was moving for take-off.
A business-class passenger said the pilot subsequently announced over the public address system that the aircraft had experienced a hydraulic failure and that checks were required, prompting emergency vehicles and ambulances to approach the aircraft.
Air India Flight Aborts Takeoff at Bangkok
Passengers remained inside the aircraft for more than 90 minutes before being asked to disembark and return to the terminal. The aircraft was moved to a side bay near the runway while engineers worked to identify and rectify the malfunction.
Rajiv Gambhir, a passenger seated in business class, described the stop as forceful, with passengers feeling as though the brakes had been applied suddenly.
He said most travellers had their seat belts fastened because the aircraft was preparing to depart, which helped prevent injuries during the abrupt stop.
An airline source confirmed that the aircraft had suffered a hydraulic malfunction but said the issue was rectified within about three hours. The source also indicated that the pilot was not expected to make a public announcement about the technical fault.
Passengers Face Delay
The technical problem prevented the original crew from operating the flight to Delhi after the aircraft was cleared. Flight Duty Time Limitations came into effect, meaning the crew could no longer legally continue the journey after the prolonged delay.
Passengers were offered hotel accommodation, while some chose to remain in Bangkok overnight.
Six business-class passengers were later permitted to use the business lounge, while other travellers waited for alternative arrangements.
Most passengers eventually returned to Delhi about 24 hours after their original scheduled departure, New Indian Express reported.
The flight finally departed Bangkok at around 7 p.m. local time on Friday, August 14, after the technical issue had been addressed and a replacement operational plan was arranged.
AI’s Second Hydraulic Incident
The Bangkok event occurred only days after another Air India Airbus A320 experienced a serious hydraulic-related incident while flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4.
That aircraft suffered a sudden loss of altitude during cruise, with later analysis indicating a temporary loss of hydraulic pressure across all three independent hydraulic systems.
The Phuket incident injured 24 people and triggered a wider investigation involving Indian authorities and Airbus.
The latest Bangkok malfunction is different in circumstances because the aircraft remained on the ground and the problem was identified before take-off.
Hydraulic systems are critical to an aircraft because they power or assist several major flight-control and aircraft systems.
A malfunction can affect the operation of equipment and, depending on its severity, create significant operational and safety challenges, making detection before departure particularly important.
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