Smoke Alert Forces Emergency Landing of Air India Express Boeing 737 Max 8
An Air India Express Boeing 737 Max 8 made an emergency landing at Lucknow airport on Thursday morning after smoke was detected in its cargo bay. The aircraft, VT-BXJ, had been flying from Varanasi to Delhi when the pilots reported a technical issue. At 8:52am, the plane landed safely and was met by the airport's emergency response team.
The team conducted a visual inspection but found no evidence of smoke. Passengers were served refreshments while they waited for an alternative aircraft to arrive. By 1:30pm, another Boeing 737 Max 8 had been arranged to take them to Delhi.
Air India Express stated that the flight was diverted as a precaution and that the passengers' safety was their top priority. The airline's source confirmed that the aircraft was fit to fly but required an airworthiness certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation before it could depart again.