3 weeks ago
Airbus experts join probe into Air India altitude drop
An airplane was flying from a beach city in Thailand called Phuket to Delhi, the capital of India.
Suddenly, the plane dropped about 300 feet in the sky, like a quick dip on a roller coaster.
The pilot got the plane back under control, and it landed safely at Delhi.
Even though the landing was safe, some people on the plane got hurt: eight passengers and four crew members went to the hospital.
Investigators are trying to find out why the plane dropped.
They took the plane's flight recorders, which are like a black box, to study what happened.
The company that built the plane, called Airbus, is sending its own experts to help with the investigation.
The plane's captain had an early test that showed something needing more checking in a laboratory, and both pilots have been stopped from flying for now.
Everyone wants to learn what went wrong so that flying can be safer for passengers.
On August 4, an Air India Airbus A320 (VT-EXO) flying flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi suddenly lost about 300 feet (91 metres) of altitude during cruise before stabilising and landing safely.
Eight passengers and four crew members were injured and admitted to hospitals in Delhi; one report described 17 people as injured.
India classified the event as a Serious Incident under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which secured the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder.
Airbus said it is dispatching a team of specialists to New Delhi to provide technical assistance to Indian investigators.
Both pilots were taken off the flying roster; the pilot-in-command's initial psychoactive substance screening indicated a result requiring confirmatory laboratory testing, which is still awaited.
- Who
- Air India, Airbus, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the two pilots of flight AI2379
- What
- An Air India Airbus A320 lost about 300 feet of altitude during cruise, injuring passengers and crew before landing safely
- Where
- En route from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India; the aircraft landed safely in Delhi
- When
- August 4, 2026; reports published on August 11, 2026
- Why
- The cause is under investigation; unconfirmed reports mention technical snags, and the pilot-in-command's initial psychoactive substance screening required confirmatory testing
Key facts
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320, registration VT-EXO
- Flight
- AI2379
- Route
- Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India
- Incident date
- August 4, 2026
- Altitude lost
- Approximately 300 feet (91 metres) during cruise
- On board
- 137 passengers and 8 crew
- Injuries
- 8 passengers and 4 crew members hospitalized; one report cited 17 injured
- Investigation
- Classified as a Serious Incident under AAIB; Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder secured; Airbus specialists assisting
Quotes
European planemaker Airbus
Manufacturer of the aircraft involved in the incident
“Airbus is providing technical assistance to the relevant investigating authorities. We are actively supporting the airline and will provide further information as it becomes available.”
deccanchronicle.com
“Airbus on Monday said it was sending specialists to assist an investigation into an Air India Airbus aircraft's sudden altitude loss during a flight last week.”
thehindubusinessline.com









