What was supposed to be a routine London-Delhi journey turned into a frustrating wait for passengers of Air India flight AI 162 on Sunday, after the aircraft was forced to taxi back to its gate at Heathrow Airport, which led to a delay. The reason? A passenger had vanished, at least that’s what the crew assumed at first.
Air India Flight AI 162 Delayed At Heathrow Due To Passenger Mix-Up
According to India TV News, the flight, already running about 45 minutes late, had just begun its slow roll toward take-off when the crew discovered something odd: the passenger list showed everyone on board, yet one traveller was missing. The glitch came down to a mix-up at Heathrow. The passenger’s boarding pass had been scanned correctly, but instead of heading to the departure gate, the individual wandered into the arrivals area. The system assumed they were safely seated on the plane, when in reality they were nowhere near it.
That error set off a chain reaction. Aviation rules leave no room for such discrepancies: if someone checks in but doesn’t board, their luggage has to be pulled from the aircraft before take-off. It’s a rule designed to keep flights secure, and one that overrides schedules or convenience.
So, back the plane went. The aircraft docked again, baggage handlers located and removed the passenger’s luggage, and only then was the flight cleared to leave Heathrow.
Air India Issues Apology, Stresses Safety Over Punctuality
Air India said in a statement that “Flight AI 162, operating from London (Heathrow) to Delhi on September 21, 2025, returned to the gate shortly after pushback because a passenger who, despite having their boarding pass scanned and being marked as boarded, failed to board the aircraft.” The spokesperson added that the crew had acted “strictly by the book” to ensure compliance.
Meanwhile, the absent passenger had a far less comfortable time. Security personnel at Heathrow detained and questioned them once the mix-up was uncovered. While officials said there was no sign of malicious intent, the blunder triggered the airport’s full security response. Investigators stressed that any mismatch between a passenger manifest and the physical headcount on board is treated with the highest caution.
Eventually, AI 162 departed for Delhi, delayed but otherwise incident-free. Air India later issued an apology to those affected: “We regret the delay in the flight’s departure caused by this incident, but safety procedures had to be followed without compromise,” as stated by India TV News.
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For the passengers stuck waiting on the tarmac, it was a reminder of how a single mistake can make the entire operation suffer. For the airline, it underscored the delicate balance between punctuality and absolute adherence to safety.
Cover Image Courtesy: markbess/Wikipedia
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