Air India door makes ‘hissing’ sound mid-air, crew reportedly uses napkins to plug gaps; airline responds

The incident took place on flight AI-314

About an hour after takeoff on June 1, a door of a Delhi-Hong Kong Air India Boeing 787 flight reportedly began shaking and making hissing, growling noises, leaving passengers distressed.

Flight attendants, upon knowing the situation, immediately stuffed “paper napkins” into the thin gap to reduce the noise, according to a Times of India report. The flight continued its journey and landed safely.

The airline, however, clarified that the sound originated from a “decorative panel” on the door.

The incident took place on flight AI-314 which left the capital at around 11:45 pm. According to a social media media post, quoting a passenger, “About an hour after take-off, the door started shaking and making noises. It seemed the door seal came off due to air pressure.”

Air India responds:

In a statement, Air India said an aircraft undergoes multiple engineering checks before it is cleared for flight operations according top priority to safety issues.

It said the June 1 Delhi to Hong Kong also went through the said process before it took flight.

“A hissing sound started emanating from the decorative door panel mid-flight, and after assessing that there was no risk to safety, crew took action to alleviate the noise. After landing in Hong Kong airport, the aircraft underwent checks by the engineering team,” a News18 report quoted the statement.

“After landing in Hong Kong airport, the aircraft underwent checks by the engineering team. All safety parameters were found to be in compliance and the aircraft was cleared for service. There was no such noise during the return flight AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi. We would like to reiterate that the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority,” it added.

Reflecting upon the problem, a source told TOI, “As the aircraft climbs, the atmospheric pressure difference within and outside the aircraft increases. The pressure inside the B787 passenger cabin is what you would experience at around 6,000 ft altitude. But the aircraft could be cruising at 40,000 ft. If the door seal is compromised, pressurised air (meant to circulate in the passenger cabin) could leak through it, making these noises.”