Air India Flight Catches Fire Shortly After Landing In Delhi; All Passengers Safe

An Air India plane’s tail caught fire moments after it landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from Hong Kong on Friday. The passengers and crew disembarked safely before the flight caught fire. However, the aircraft suffered damage and has now been grounded for repairs and investigation. Read on to know more. 

Air India Hong Kong-Delhi Flight Catches Fire After Landing

Flight AI315, operating from Hong Kong to Delhi on 22 July 2025, experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) fire shortly after it had landed and parked at the gate. The incident occurred while passengers had begun disembarking, and the APU was automatically shut down as per system…

— Air India (@airindia) July 22, 2025

Air India Flight AI 315, operating from Hong Kong to Delhi, experienced a frightening incident after landing at Delhi’s IGI Airport on Tuesday, July 22. As per a report by The Times of India, the auxiliary power unit (APU) located in its tail section caught fire when passengers were disembarking upon arrival. It had 170 people onboard, and fortunately, all of them were reported safe.

However, the aircraft suffered damage. Air India has reported the incident to the regulator. The aircraft is a 2-year-old Airbus, previously operated by Vistara.

Air India confirmed the news on their official X account with a statement that read, “Flight AI315, operating from Hong Kong to Delhi on 22 July 2025, experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) fire shortly after it had landed and parked at the gate. The incident occurred while passengers had begun disembarking, and the APU was automatically shut down as per system design. There was some damage to the aircraft; however, passengers and crew members disembarked normally and are safe. The aircraft has been grounded for further investigations and the regulator has been duly notified.”

Also Read: Air India Flight Skids Off Mumbai Runway, Bursting 3 Tyres; No Injuries Reported

What Is An APU?

For the uninitiated, the auxiliary power unit (APU) is a small engine that provides power to the aircraft while it is on the ground. It powers the lights, air conditioning, and helps start the main engines. As per a report by Hindustan Times, the authorities have now grounded the aircraft. They are working to determine the exact cause of the fire. 

This is not the only recent Air India incident to come to light. Another Air India flight, A12744, operating from Kochi to Mumbai, veered off the runway while landing due to heavy rain. All passengers and crew were safe. The incident temporarily suspended operations at the runway. 

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Although the auxiliary power unit issue has been cited as the primary reason for the fire, further investigations are still ongoing.

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