Around 200 passengers travelling from Delhi to Abu Dhabi were left stranded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport after an Etihad Airways flight was cancelled following a technical problem with the Boeing 787 aircraft scheduled to operate the service. Flight EY217 was scheduled to depart Delhi at 9.15 pm on Saturday, September 19, for Abu Dhabi. Passengers had boarded the aircraft before they were asked to disembark after the crew informed them that a technical issue had been detected.
Passengers deboarded
According to passengers, nearly 200 people were taken off the aircraft as the airline dealt with the technical problem. They initially waited at the airport expecting the flight to depart once the issue had been addressed.
However, after a wait of several hours, passengers were informed that the service had been cancelled. The decision left travellers trying to arrange alternative flights and onward connections, particularly those scheduled to transit through Abu Dhabi. Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub serves as an important connecting point for passengers travelling from India to destinations across Europe, North America, Africa and West Asia, meaning a cancellation can also disrupt onward journeys.
Boeing 787-9 scheduled
Flight-tracking information showed that EY217 was scheduled to be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Flight schedule databases also listed the Delhi departure at 9.15 pm, with the aircraft due to arrive in Abu Dhabi at 11.15 pm local time. The precise nature of the technical issue that led to the cancellation was not immediately known. There was also no indication that the problem resulted in an emergency involving the aircraft. Cancelling a service following detection of a technical problem is part of standard aviation safety procedures when an aircraft cannot be cleared for operation within the required timeframe.
Passengers seek alternatives
The cancellation came after passengers had already boarded, making the disruption particularly difficult for those with connecting flights from Abu Dhabi. Travellers were left seeking information on rebooking and alternative services after the cancellation was announced. Details of how many passengers were accommodated on subsequent flights were not immediately available.
Etihad operates multiple services between India and Abu Dhabi, with Delhi among the airline’s important destinations in the country. The incident comes at a time when airlines operating between India and West Asia have also been dealing with a more complicated operating environment because of heightened regional tensions. However, there is currently no evidence linking Saturday’s cancellation to the geopolitical situation, with available reports attributing it specifically to a technical issue involving the aircraft.
Further details about the fault and the aircraft’s subsequent technical inspection were awaited.