Pressurization Issue Prompts Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX to Divert to Trichy

Today, a Boeing 737 MAX belonging to Air India Express had to perform an emergency landing, after a rapid descent. The aircraft had a pressurization issue due to which it had to conduct a rapid descent, followed by an emergency landing at Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ).

In this article, let us have a look at the events of this incident.

Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX Diversion

The incident happened onboard Air India Express flight IX 934, which originated from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV) for its destination Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport (BLR). The aircraft operating this flight is a very young Boeing 737 MAX registered as VT-BXA.

The aircraft departed Trivandrum Airport at exactly 12:48 PM (IST), which is its standard departure time. Everything was going well until 01:07 PM when the aircraft had reached a cruising altitude of 32,600 ft. At this time, it suffered a depressurization.

In response to this, the pilots performed a controlled rapid descent. Within just seven minutes, it descended from 32,600 to 10,000 ft. Rapid descent is a safe procedure and pilots are well trained for it. Whatever the situation is, the people in the cockpit are trained to manage.

In case of depressurization, pilots always aim to take the aircraft down to 10,000 feet. At higher altitudes, oxygen is lower than at sea level. Hence, with no supplemental oxygen supply, passengers may experience difficulty in breathing. At 10,000 feet, the ambient air pressure is significantly higher compared to higher cruising altitudes. During a decompression event, the passenger oxygen masks are automatically deployed, which can supply oxygen for 15-20 minutes. This time is enough to reach a safer altitude.

Diversion to Trichy

Due to the decompression event, the pilots decided to head to the nearest diversion point. They chose Trichy Airport (TRZ) for emergency landing. After declaring an emergency, the aircraft started flying towards the diversion airport. At 01:40 PM, it touched down at Trichy.

All 137 passengers onboard the aircraft are safe. Nobody is injured. Kudos to the two professionals sitting in the cockpit. In its statement, the airline attributed the reason for the diversion to a technical glitch. The aircraft is still on the ground at Trichy Airport. The airline’s engineering team is taking care of it.

Passengers were transported to Bengaluru onboard an alternative aircraft of Air India Express. The airline managed to operate a different aircraft to fly the stranded passengers from Trichy to Bengaluru. Now, let us take a look at the aircraft involved in this incident.

Aircraft Involved

The aircraft involved in this incident is a Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered as VT-BXA. On paper, the aircraft is five years old. But it has been delivered to Air India Express only in September 2023. From 2019 to early 2023, it was parked in Seattle since its original buyer abandoned it. This airframe was officially destined for Chinese carrier Shanghai Airlines, but because of geopolitical reasons, the airline delayed the acquisition.

As a result, Boeing relocated this frame to Air India Express. It is a young aircraft. With MSN 61639 and Line Number 7490, this aircraft conducted its maiden flight on 8 May 2019. It is configured with 8 Business and 168 Economy class seats. It entered into service with Air India Express on 19 October 2023.

This is a historical aircraft for the airline since it was the first Boeing 737 MAX to be delivered to it. Besides this, it was the first B737 MAX to receive the new livery of the airline. On every jet, Air India Express paints a unique tail design. On VT-BXA, it has painted the Bandhini tail design. The aircraft has been leased from SKY Leasing.

Conclusion

A Boeing 737 MAX 8 belonging to Air India Express conducted an emergency landing at Trichy Airport. The aircraft was flying from Trivandrum to Bengaluru. The reason for diversion can be attributed to decompression at 32,600 ft. In just 7 minutes, the aircraft lost 22,600 ft in a rapid descent maneuver. All passengers and crew members are safe. The aircraft is undergoing repair at Trichy Airport.

Have you ever been in such a situation? Discuss in the comment section.