Mid-air scare: Bengaluru - Kolkata Air India Express flight develops hydraulic snag

The flight, which was scheduled to depart from KIA at 7:05pm, took off at 7:16pm and landed at Bengaluru airport safely at 9:19pm, sources said.

An Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Kolkata was forced to return mid-air on Sunday night after facing a hydraulic failure, sources at Kempegowda International Airport told Moneycontrol.

According to airport sources, flight IX 2718, on Bengaluru- Kolkata route, reported a technical issue after takeoff and initiated a return to Bengaluru airport.

As per FlightAware, which tracks real-time flight status, aircraft circled- likely to reduce fuel and weight- before executing a precautionary landing

The flight, which was scheduled to depart from KIA at 7:05pm, took off at 7:16pm and landed at Bengaluru airport safely at 9:19pm, sources said.

“A full emergency was declared at 8:21pm to ensure preparedness for any impact during landing,” a KIA source told Moneycontrol.

"One of our flights from Bengaluru returned to the airport following a technical issue. The aircraft circled to reduce fuel and weight before executing a safe, precautionary landing" said an Air India Express spokesperson in a statement.

"While the snag is investigated, an alternative aircraft is being arranged to ensure the onward journey of our guests. We regret the inconvenience and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safety in all aspects of our operations.", it said