An Air India Express flight from Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad made a precautionary landing on Thursday following a suspected bird strike shortly after take-off, the airline confirmed.
An Air India Express spokesperson said, “One of our aircraft suffered a bird strike at Visakhapatnam and returned to the airport after take-off. The flight had to be cancelled pending certification of the aircraft’s feasibility to return to service. We regret the inconvenience and have offered multiple options to impacted guests, including complimentary rescheduling to our next flight on the same day, or a full refund if they elect to cancel.”
No injuries reported
The flight landed safely back at Vizag, and no injuries were reported. Passengers were either rescheduled to alternative flights or offered refunds. The airline reiterated that safety of passengers and crew remains its top priority.
Rising bird strike incidents in India
Recent data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation highlights the rising number of bird strikes at Indian airports. According to Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, while no injuries or deaths were reported in the last five years, incidents have steadily increased. Confirmed bird strikes rose from 674 in 2020 to 1,371 in 2023, before slightly reducing to 1,278 in 2024. Between January and June 2025, 511 such incidents were recorded.
Previous disruptions
This is not the first such disruption this year. On June 22, Air India flight AI2455 from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi was cancelled after its inbound service from Delhi reported a suspected bird strike upon landing. Extended engineering checks forced the cancellation, with the airline arranging alternative flights and providing passenger accommodation.
Safety protocols
Aviation authorities maintain strict safety checks following bird strikes, with aircraft subjected to detailed inspections before being cleared for service. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also been working with airports to deploy measures like bio-acoustic devices, grass height management, and stricter waste disposal rules around airport premises to reduce bird strike risks.