New Delhi – An Air India flight arriving from Hong Kong experienced a fire in its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) while parked at Indira Gandhi International Airport just after landing on July 22, 2025. The incident occurred during passenger disembarkation. Thankfully, all 170 passengers and crew escaped unharmed, and the aircraft was promptly grounded for investigation .
🔥 Incident Overview
- Flight AI 315, operated on an Airbus A321 (registration TV‑TVG), landed safely at 12:12 pm local time.
- Shortly after touch-down—and while passengers were exiting—the APU in the tail section ignited.
- The system automatically shut down the unit as designed, and ground fire services extinguished the blaze .
- Authorities confirmed some damage to the aircraft, and it has since been grounded pending a full technical probe by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) .
🚨 Incident in Context
This marks the third safety-related event involving Air India in as many days:
- July 21 – Flight AI 2403 (Delhi–Kolkata) aborted takeoff mid-roll due to a technical fault .
- July 21 – Flight AI 2744 veered off the runway after heavy rains at Mumbai, damaging engine cowling and bursting three tires .
Regulators and passengers alike are raising fresh concerns following these back-to-back events and the June 12 crash of Flight AI 171, which tragically claimed 260 lives in Ahmedabad .
🎯 Regulatory and Airline Response
- DGCA has been notified and will oversee the investigation into the root cause—potentially linked to maintenance protocols.
- Air India emphasized that the APU shut down as per safety design, and “passengers and crew members disembarked normally and are safe.”
- The aircraft remains grounded for a thorough probe, including review of maintenance records and a detailed technical assessment.
📌 Why the APU Matters
The Auxiliary Power Unit is a small turbine engine located in the rear fuselage. It powers systems on the ground, including air conditioning, electronics, and engine startups, without relying on external equipment . Though rare, APU failures or fires can trigger smoke, fire alerts, or evacuation scenarios.
💬 What It Means for Air India
- This spate of incidents places significant scrutiny on Air India’s maintenance regime and internal safety oversight.
- In the aftermath of the deadly Ahmedabad crash, the airline has already faced nine DGCA show-cause notices in six months .
- While no casualties have been reported, the proximity of these events highlights an urgent need for robust corrective action.
