CHENNAI- Air India Express (IX) has been grappling with operational difficulties for the second day in a row as flight IX-765 , carrying 165 passengers, was unable to land at Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) in Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram) on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The flight departed from Chennai at 7:20 AM and entered Andaman airspace by 9:40 AM. However, due to adverse weather, the crew had to call off the landing attempt.
The Air India Express (IX) flight spent an extended period circling over Port Blair’s airport (IXZ) as pilots monitored the landing conditions.
With unsafe landing conditions caused by worsening weather, the aircraft opted to return to Chennai (MAA), landing at 12:30 PM. This resulted in a five-hour round trip without reaching the intended destination.
Frustrated passengers confronted representatives of Air India Express (IX) at Chennai Airport (MAA), seeking explanations for the inability to complete their journey while other airlines successfully operated flights, as reported by DT Next.
Passengers expressed confusion over why only their airline faced operational issues while others maintained their schedules to the same destination.
Airport officials confirmed that three IndiGo (6E) flights and one Akasa Air (QP) flight successfully completed their Chennai-Andaman routes on the same day, raising concerns regarding Air India Express’s operational reliability.
Second Attempt
After extensive discussions between passengers and the airline, Air India Express (IX) management opted to reboard all 165 passengers onto the same aircraft.
The second attempt to fly from Chennai (MAA) departed at 2:30 PM, with hopes of improved weather conditions allowing for a successful landing.
Previous Day’s Disruptions
The day prior, another Air India Express (IX) flight carrying 168 passengers had also failed twice to land in Andaman.
This repeated failure triggered protests from passengers at Chennai Airport (MAA), leading to sit-in demonstrations at the airline’s customer service counter.
Special Flight Arranged
In response to issues from the previous day, Air India Express (IX) arranged emergency transportation on Wednesday morning for passengers stranded due to the failed attempts.
A special flight was successfully enacted to transport affected travellers to their intended Andaman destination, offering a provisional resolution for the disruptions caused.
Weather Conditions
The incidents underscore the ongoing challenges that Air India Express (IX) faces with weather-related operational constraints at Port Blair airport (IXZ).
While other airlines managed to keep regular flight schedules, Air India Express’s conservative approach in adverse weather conditions led to significant passenger inconveniences and operational delays over the two consecutive days.
Port Blair’s Runway Restrictions
Landings at Port Blair’s Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) are primarily unidirectional.
Due to the airport’s single runway setup, all landings are directed toward Runway 04 while take-offs occur from Runway 22. Terrain challenges posed by the high mountainous areas to the north and northwest shape this operational modality.
Bottom Line
The series of landing failures highlight significant operational vulnerabilities within Air India Express’s weather management strategies when compared to rival airlines serving the same routes.
These events raise questions regarding pilot training standards for navigating challenging terrain and the adaptability of equipment for adverse weather operations at specialized airports like Port Blair (IXZ).
As a result of two consecutive service disruptions, passenger trust in the airline’s reliability may waver, potentially influencing future booking decisions on Andaman routes.
The airline is urged to improve its weather assessment protocols and training for crews regarding unidirectional runway operations to avert such operational shortcomings, which compromise passenger schedules and invite negative attention.
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I am an aviation journalist associated with Aviation A2Z for the past three years, specializing in the aviation sector. My writing spans aerospace, Indian aviation, and airline topics, and I contribute to global aviation publications while continually expanding my knowledge and connections within the industry.
Based on an article from aviationa2z.com: https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/05/29/air-india-express-faces-second-day-of-failed-port-blair-landings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=air-india-express-faces-second-day-of-failed-port-blair-landings
