An Air India flight from Vienna to New Delhi was forced to divert to Dubai after a serious mid-air technical failure on October 9, 2025. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as AI154, was cruising at 39,000 feet when its autopilot suddenly disengaged, triggering multiple system errors.
Autopilot and flight systems failed
The malfunction affected the Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS), Flight Directors, Auto Throttle, and the aircraft’s main Flight Control System, disabling its auto-land feature. Despite several attempts, the pilots could not restore the autopilot and took full manual control of the aircraft.
Safe landing in Dubai
After alerting Air Traffic Control, the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Dubai and landed safely. All passengers and crew were unharmed. Air India engineers carried out detailed inspections while passengers received refreshments and updates during the delay.
Air India’s response
Air India confirmed that the flight continued to New Delhi after technical checks were completed. The airline apologised for the disruption and stated that passenger safety remained its top priority. It praised the crew for handling the emergency with professionalism and calm.
Government review of safety protocols
Following the incident, the Civil Aviation Minister called an emergency meeting with senior airline executives to review aircraft maintenance and operational reliability. The move comes amid growing concern over repeated technical issues reported by several Indian carriers in recent months.
