A sudden spell of severe weather at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) yesterday resulted in damage to three Air India aircraft after ground support equipment was blown across the apron by strong winds and heavy rain.
The incident occurred at Terminal 2 of Delhi Airport on the evening of June 7, 2026, when a fast-moving storm system brought strong gusts, rain and dust across parts of the National Capital Region. According to The Times of India, multiple pieces of ground-handling equipment were dislodged from their parked positions and struck aircraft parked on the apron.
Three Air India aircraft were impacted
Three Air India narrowbody aircraft sustained damage after being struck by equipment that was blown by the sudden weather event around 4:30 PM on June 7, 2026. The equipment reportedly belonged to both Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo’s ground handling operations.
An IndiGo step-ladder hit an Air India aircraft (Image via X)
The affected aircraft were immediately withdrawn from service for inspection and repairs. While two of the aircraft are expected to return to operations shortly, one aircraft is likely to remain grounded for a longer period while repairs are completed. As per Aviation All on X, the following planes were the ones damaged:
- VT-TYB
- VT-RTK
- VT-RTX
Air India has not publicly commented on the incident, nor has it replied to a request for comment via its communications agency. IndiGo also declined to comment.
Fortunately, it might be the case that with the recent cuts that Air India might have other planes to take in the slack.
A viral video shows a stepladder heading towards an aircraft
A video circulating on social media following the storm appears to show a passenger boarding staircase hurtling across the apron before being contained right before colliding with a parked Air India aircraft.
The staircase belonged to IndiGo and was blown away by strong winds that swept across the airport during the storm. No injuries were reported in the incident, but the footage has quickly drawn attention to the challenges of securing ground equipment during rapidly developing weather events.
How alert Agile (6E ground handling co) staff ran to stop an @IndiGo6E stepladder just in time – 6.5 metres away from an @airindia ✈️ parked at @DelhiAirport T2 bay 206 on Sunday evening
There was no prior storm/bad weather warning, say IGIA and airlines https://t.co/inrJqMawHB pic.twitter.com/5fGnxqWcLt
— Saurabh Sinha (@27saurabhsinha) June 7, 2026
Questions about weather preparedness
One of the more interesting details emerging from the incident is the claim that the airport operator or airlines did not receive any advance warning of the sudden deterioration in weather from Air Traffic Control. The airport operator has indicated that the severe weather developed rapidly, allowing little time for additional precautions.
That said, airports around the world typically have procedures for securing mobile ground support equipment whenever high-wind alerts are issued. The investigation will likely examine whether existing procedures were followed and whether additional safeguards may be needed during Delhi’s monsoon and thunderstorm season.
As per the DGCA statement,
On June 7, 2026, three Air India Airbus A320 aircraft parked at the Delhi Airport terminal 2 were damaged by ground equipment/foreign object debris (FOD) during adverse weather conditions around 4.30 pm. Due to strong winds, two ground equipment positioned at adjacent stand and in nearby areas moved from their locations and hit two different aircraft at various positions causing damage. In addition, the right-hand sliding window of another aircraft sustained damage due to FOD impact. All three aircraft have been grounded for inspection and maintenance. The DGCA is investigating the matter.
Another ground safety incident at Delhi Airport
The latest incident adds to a growing list of ground-related occurrences at Delhi Airport in recent months. Earlier this year, an Air India Airbus A350 suffered engine damage after ingesting a cargo container that had fallen from ground equipment during foggy conditions. In April 2026, a taxiing SpiceJet aircraft collided with a stationary Akasa Air aircraft at IGIA, resulting in damage to both aircraft.
Bottomline
Three Air India aircraft were damaged at Delhi Airport after strong winds and rain displaced ground support equipment on the apron. Two aircraft are expected to return to service soon, while a third will require more extensive repairs. The incident has prompted an investigation into how the equipment became unsecured and whether additional measures are needed to protect aircraft during sudden severe weather events.
What do you think of this mishap for Air India?
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