Air India's 3 Aircraft Damaged at Delhi Airport after Ground Equipment Blown by Strong Winds
Moneylife Digital Team 08 June 2026
Three narrow-body aircraft of Air India parked at Terminal 2 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were damaged after ground-support equipment was blown from its position by strong winds and heavy rain, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into the incident.
 
According to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the incident occurred during a sudden spell of adverse weather that swept across the National Capital Region (NCR) over the weekend.
 
The airport operator said ground-support equipment belonging to Air India Engineering and IndiGo’s ground-handling operations shifted from its designated position due to the inclement weather and collided with three parked Air India aircraft.
 
All three aircraft were immediately withdrawn from service following the collision and have been sent for detailed technical inspections and repairs.
 
DIAL said the weather deteriorated rapidly and unexpectedly, leaving little time for preventive action.
 
Airport officials said neither the airport operator nor the airlines had received any advance warning from air traffic control (ATC) regarding the abrupt change in weather conditions.
 
“The ground equipment belonging to Air India Engineering and IndiGo moved from their position due to the sudden inclement weather, hitting the aircraft parked at Terminal 2,” the airport operator said.
 
Air India had not issued any official statement on the incident at the time of filing this report.
 
However, airline sources indicated that, apart from the three Air India aircraft, an aircraft belonging to another operator may also have been affected by the severe weather conditions.
 
Preliminary assessments suggest that two of the three damaged Air India aircraft are likely to return to service soon after inspections and necessary repairs. Restoration of the third aircraft is expected to take longer, depending on the extent of damage identified during the technical evaluation.
 
DIAL said an investigation has been initiated to determine the circumstances that led to the movement of the ground-support equipment and to assess whether existing safety protocols were adequate to handle such sudden weather disruptions.
 
The incident comes amid growing operational challenges for airlines and airports during periods of intense rainfall and strong winds, which can create safety risks for aircraft parked on the ground.
 
The Delhi-NCR witnessed a sharp change in weather on Sunday, with rainfall and gusty winds affecting several parts of the region. Visuals from areas surrounding the airport showed heavy showers sweeping across multiple localities.
 
The India meteorological department (IMD) has forecast another spell of very light to light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds of up to 60kmph on 11 June and 12 June 2026.
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