Dhaka: An Air India flight bound for Bangkok was delayed for over 5 hours on Tuesday (June 25) after hay was discovered lodged in one of the aircraft’s wings, the airline confirmed.

Flight AI 2354, operated by an Airbus A320neo, was scheduled to depart from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai at 07:45 IST (02:15 UTC). However, the departure was delayed until approximately 13:00 IST (07:30 UTC), according to flight tracking service Flightradar24.

In a statement, Air India said the foreign object was promptly removed and the aircraft was cleared for operation after a thorough inspection.

"The issue was swiftly addressed by our engineering team, and the aircraft was declared fit to fly after all necessary checks were completed," the airline said.

It remains unclear how the hay came to be lodged in the wing. The incident did not cause any reported injuries, and the flight continued to Bangkok without further incident.

The incident occurred just days after the DGCA uncovered multiple violations involving airlines, airports, aircraft maintenance, and recurring defects during its surveillance operation at major airports.

This inspection was conducted within two weeks of the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.

-B