By Emeka Blast 
Air India Plane Bursts Into Flames After Delhi Landing
An Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi narrowly escaped disaster when its auxiliary power unit (APU) caught fire shortly after landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. IST as passengers were disembarking from Flight AI 315, an Airbus A321, at Terminal 3. All 158 passengers and crew members disembarked safely, with no injuries reported, but the aircraft sustained minor damage and has been grounded for investigation.
According to an Air India spokesperson, the fire originated in the APU, a small engine in the aircraft’s tail that powers onboard systems when the main engines are off. The APU’s automatic shutdown system activated as designed, extinguishing the fire, though smoke was observed from the tail’s exhaust. “Flight AI 315 experienced an APU fire shortly after landing and parking at the gate. Passengers and crew disembarked normally and are safe. The aircraft has been grounded, and the regulator has been notified,” the airline stated. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing the incident, with early reports suggesting residual fuel in the APU system as a possible cause.
The incident, described as minor by airport sources, caused no panic among passengers, most of whom were unaware of the fire during deboarding. However, concerns have been raised over Air India’s failure to promptly inform Air Traffic Control (ATC), a potential breach of safety protocols. A senior airport official noted, “It’s mandatory to alert ATC about such incidents to activate emergency response, but neither ATC nor Delhi International Airport Limited’s safety unit was informed.”
This marks Air India’s third safety scare in 48 hours, following a Delhi-Kolkata flight’s aborted takeoff on Monday due to a technical snag and a Kochi-Mumbai flight veering off the runway during heavy rain. The airline, which has received nine DGCA notices for five safety violations in six months, is under scrutiny after the tragic June 12 crash of Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which killed 274 people. Social media reactions on X, including posts from @coolfunnytshirt and @SouleFacts, expressed relief at the safe outcome but raised concerns about Air India’s safety record, with @Chaubey2025 joking, “Desi jugaad hawa mein bhi chal raha tha 💀.”
Aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan downplayed the incident, noting that APU fires are manageable due to built-in extinguishers but stressed the need for thorough maintenance checks. The DGCA has ordered inspections of Air India’s Airbus A321 fleet to prevent similar incidents.
