Air India Flight to Chicago Diverted to Tashkent Due to Passenger’s Health Deterioration

There is no passenger who would willingly choose to be part of an aircraft diversion. However, certain situations necessitate such circumstances. A similar instance occurred to passengers onboard an Air India flight to Chicago, which had to divert because of a medical emergency onboard.

Air India Chicago Flight Diverted to Tashkent

Air India operates daily flights between Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The airline operates this route utilizing the legacy Boeing 777-300ER fleet, which is equipped with additional oxygen cylinders to pass over the Hindu Kush Range.

On May 8, Boeing 777 registered as VT-ALK was prepared to operate flight AI127 from Delhi to Chicago. In the early morning hours, the aircraft departed from Delhi Airport at 03:23 AM. It exited the Indian airspace. While crossing over the Kazakhstan Airspace, the health condition of an old lady started to deteriorate. After further examination, it was determined that she suffered a heart attack. The passenger was an 87-year-old woman.

Three hours after the departure, while overflying the Kazak airspace, the aircraft took a U-turn and landed at Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan. There were various other airports in the vicinity but the crew chose to land at Tashkent Airport. There are various factors on which the selection of a diversion airport depends.

The aircraft, which departed Delhi Airport at 03:23 AM landed at Tashkent Airport exactly four hours later at 06:44 AM (Uzbek Local Time). The aircraft achieved a maximum height of 30,000 feet, meaning it already reached cruising altitude before diverting to the airport. One of the major reasons to take a U-Turn and head to Tashkent might be fuel dumping. The aircraft was bound to operate an Ultra-Long Haul flight.

Medical Emergency Services Provided to Passenger

The aircraft, a Boeing 777 registered as VT-ALK landed safely at Tashkent International Airport. As expected, the pilots had already requested for medical services to be on standby. Upon arrival, the passenger was swiftly transported to the ‘Republican Scientific Centre for Emergency Medical Care’ for further treatment. It is being reported that the lady is doing fine now.

As the medical emergency has been addressed, the aircraft is now preparing to depart. Now, it will continue with a new callsign. While, it operated from Delhi to Tashkent with flight number AI127, its onward leg to Chicago will be under a new flight number: AI127D. At 03:00 AM, another B777 registered as VT-ALT will be airborne from Delhi to Chicago. The flight numbers have been altered to avoid confusion between both flights heading to Chicago.

Air India currently does not operate scheduled flights to Tashkent Airport. In history, it used to operate non-stop flights. On 15 August 1958, it operated the inaugural flight between Delhi and Tashkent. The connection was later terminated when the airline converted this service to a non-stop flight to Moscow utilizing the Boeing 707 in 1962. In 1989, it resumed services between Delhi and Tashkent using IL-62M aircraft wet-leased from Russian carrier Aeroflot.

Currently, IndiGo & Uzbekistan Airways are the only airlines connecting India and Tashkent. IndiGo operates from Delhi, while the Uzbek flag carrier connects Tashkent to both Delhi and Mumbai.

Conclusion

Air India flight AI127 from Delhi to Chicago had to divert to Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan. The reason behind the diversion was a medical emergency onboard. An old lady suffered a heart attack onboard, resulting in the diversion. There is no statement from Air India as of now. Uzbekistan Airports, via Telegram, shared that the lady was provided medical assistance. The aircraft will soon depart Tashkent for Chicago.

Have you been part of any diversion? How was your experience? Discuss in the comment section.