Air India Express Boeing 737 Max 8 bearing registration number VT-BXJ was still parked at Lucknow airport
The aircraft involved, bearing registration number VT-BXJ, was delivered to Air India Express in Dec 2023. Its cabin sensors detected smoke in the cargo bay while it was operating flight IX 1253 from Varanasi to Delhi, according to officials.
The aircraft landed safely at 8.52am. The aircraft was parked at the airport bay and passengers began deplaning at 9.02am. The Boeing 737 Max 8 remained parked at Lucknow airport till evening. The source said the aircraft was scheduled for return journey from Delhi to Varanasi at 5.45pm on Thursday. It was then scheduled to operate flights on several sectors, including international routes, till Sept 5.
Air India Express in a statement said, “A Varanasi-Delhi flight was diverted to Lucknow as a precaution after a technical issue. The aircraft was fit to fly but was awaiting an airworthiness certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, according to an airline source. The airport emergency response team conducted a visual inspection after landing, but no smoke was observed. The flight movement schedule showed that the aircraft was to operate the Delhi-Varanasi sector before continuing to Sharjah from Varanasi. It was also scheduled to operate flights between Varanasi and Bangkok, besides other sectors.