An Air India flight, AI2651 from Delhi to Bengaluru, suffered a tail strike during landing at the Kempegowda International Airport on Thursday.

All passengers and crew members have disembarked safely, officials said.

This narrow-body aircraft, part of the Airbus A320 family and operated by Air India, sustained damage to its rear underside. A tail strike occurs when the tail section of an aircraft makes contact with the runway during take-off or landing, often due to an incorrect angle of approach or flare.

The flight had 181 people on board.

The return flight of this aircraft to Delhi has been cancelled, and it has been grounded for detailed inspection and investigation that would be in line with standard protocols and in coordination with aviation authorities.

Air India has not reported any injuries, and they are maintaining the safety standard procedures, while assistance would be provided to the passengers who were bound for the return flight to Delhi on the same aircraft.

According to several media reports, the Air India flight began its final descent moments after a Boeing 747 took off. The turbulence generated by the larger aircraft may have affected landing conditions, resulting in the tail strike.

The extent of the damage is currently being assessed.

Recently, an Air India Boeing 787-8 operating the London Heathrow-Bengaluru route was grounded in February 2026 following a fault in its fuel control switch.

The latest episodes have revived concerns over flight safety, with last year’s London-bound Air India flight AI-171 crash from Ahmedabad still fresh in everyone’s mind. The flight took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12 in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area; however, it crashed moments later into a hostel complex, killing 241 persons on board and 19 on the ground. One passenger survived.