# Flight AI173, a Boeing 777-300ER with around 230 passengers onboard, had crossed into Chinese airspace.

*aerospace · news · 2026-05-27 · The Indian Express*

## Key points

- Air India flight AI173 to San Francisco returned to Delhi after a technical snag mid-flight.
- The Boeing 777-300ER had already entered Chinese airspace before the crew decided to turn back.
- The aircraft spent over eight hours in the air before safely landing back in Delhi.
- Air India did not disclose the specific nature of the technical issue affecting the flight.

A transatlantic journey came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday when an Air India flight bound for San Francisco was forced to turn around mid-flight after developing a technical snag, spending over eight hours in the air before returning to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. What happened Flight AI173, a Boeing 777-300ER with around 230 passengers onboard, had crossed into Chinese airspace – more than three hours into the journey – when the crew decided to divert back to Delhi. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed the aircraft’s turnaround trajectory before it eventually touched down safely in the national capital. Air India, in a statement, said the return was carried out in line with standard safety procedures. “The aircraft landed safely and will undergo technical inspection in line with Air India’s safety standards,” the airline said. The carrier did not specify the nature of the technical issue, PTI reported.

**Companies:** Air India
**Countries:** India, China

[Read the full story on The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/air-india-delhi-san-francisco-flight-returns-8-hours-china-10710858/)

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