New Delhi, India: A Hong Kong–Delhi Air India flight experienced a fire in its auxiliary power unit (APU) shortly after landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday. All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported. The incident is under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Flight AI 315, operated by an Airbus A321neo, had just arrived from Hong Kong and was on the taxiway when a fire broke out in the APU, located in the aircraft’s tail section. The APU provides electrical power to the aircraft while it is on the ground.
Fire and smoke were detected during disembarkation, prompting immediate deployment of fire tenders. According to airport officials, the fire was quickly extinguished and the aircraft was evacuated without incident. Visuals from the scene showed flames and smoke near the rear fuselage before the emergency response teams brought the situation under control.
In a statement, Air India confirmed that the fire occurred while the aircraft was on ground power. “The aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) caught fire after landing. The fire was detected while passengers were disembarking, and the aircraft’s built-in systems automatically shut down the APU. All passengers and crew are safe,” the airline said. The aircraft has been grounded for further inspection.
The DGCA has launched a technical investigation into the incident. Initial assessments suggest a possible maintenance-related fault in the APU system, though a definitive cause will only be determined after a full inspection of the aircraft’s systems and maintenance records.
This comes at a time when Air India is already under regulatory oversight following a fatal crash last month and a series of operational incidents. In response to the June 12 crash of Flight AI 171, the DGCA had recently directed a detailed inspection of locking mechanisms in the fuel control switches across Air India’s Boeing fleet. The airline completed the checks and reported no discrepancies.
The incident marks the third technical issue involving an Air India aircraft in less than 48 hours. On Monday, another Airbus A320 operating a domestic route skidded off the runway at Mumbai airport during heavy rainfall. That aircraft, too, was grounded, though no injuries were reported.
A senior DGCA official said that while the APU fire is a ground-level issue with no impact on in-flight operations, it is being treated seriously due to its potential safety implications. “We are reviewing the aircraft’s maintenance records, crew statements, and sensor logs. Based on the outcome, further directives may be issued to the airline,” the official added.
The affected aircraft will remain grounded until the investigation is complete and any necessary corrective actions are taken.
![Washington, United States: A United Airlines flight bound for Guatemala City made an emergency diversion to Washington Dulles International Airport after a passenger allegedly attempted to open a cabin door at cruising altitude and assaulted another traveler, according to air traffic control communications and federal authorities. The incident involved United Airlines Flight 1551, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which departed from Newark Liberty International Airport on Thursday evening carrying 145 passengers and six crew members. The aircraft had been en route to Guatemala City when the crew declared an emergency and diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. According to audio between the flight crew and air traffic controllers, the pilot informed controllers that the disruptive passenger attempted to open Door 2L while the aircraft was cruising at approximately 36,000 feet. The pilot also reported that the passenger later assaulted another individual onboard. During the exchange, the tower asked the crew which door the passenger had attempted to access. The pilot responded: “Door 2L at 36,000 feet and then [the passenger] assaulted a fellow passenger.” When controllers asked whether there were any injuries onboard, the pilot replied: “Not to our knowledge.” The aircraft landed safely at Washington Dulles at approximately 8:38 p.m. local time. Law enforcement and emergency personnel met the aircraft upon arrival. The FBI later confirmed that agents responded to the incident at the airport, although the agency did not immediately release additional details regarding the passenger’s identity, possible charges, or whether the individual was taken into federal custody. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft remained airborne for a period before diverting toward the Washington region instead of continuing south toward Guatemala. The diversion temporarily disrupted the scheduled international service but no injuries among passengers or crew were officially reported. United Airlines had not issued a detailed public statement at the time of publication regarding the circumstances surrounding the diversion or the status of the passenger involved. Federal authorities are expected to review crew reports, passenger statements, and onboard evidence as part of the investigation.](https://aviationtoday.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AVIATION-TODAY-UNITEDV-AIRLINES-RUDE-PASSENGER-768x432.jpg)
