Lucknow, September 3 (TNA) An Air India Express flight from Varanasi to Delhi made a precautionary emergency landing at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport on Thursday morning after a smoke indication was detected in its rear cargo compartment, airline and airport officials said. All 155 passengers and crew on board were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
Flight IX 1253 took off from Varanasi airport for Delhi at around 8:00 am. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft’s smoke detection system triggered an alert in the aft cargo hold, prompting the crew to immediately contact Lucknow air traffic control (ATC) and request an emergency landing.
The aircraft landed safely at Lucknow airport at 8:52 am. As a standard procedure, airport emergency response teams, fire tenders and technical staff rushed to the spot and carried out a visual inspection of the aircraft. The inspection did not find any smoke or fire inside the cabin or cargo area.
Passenger deplaning began at 9:02 am, and all travellers were safely moved to the terminal area. In a statement, Air India Express said the crew “decided to carry out a precautionary landing at Lucknow due to a technical snag, prioritising safety.” Passengers were given refreshments, and the airline is arranging an alternate aircraft to fly them to Delhi. The carrier said it is working to ensure that customers reach their destination at the earliest.
Officials said an investigation is underway to determine why the smoke alert was triggered. While the initial inspection found no smoke inside the aircraft, technical teams are examining the detection system and related components to prevent such situations in future.