An Air India flight AI 2354, scheduled to operate from Mumbai to Bangkok on June 25, 2025, experienced a significant delay of over five hours due to an unusual incident. Hay was discovered lodged under the left wing of the Airbus A320Neo aircraft, leading to immediate safety checks and subsequent delays.

The flight, which was scheduled to depart from Mumbai at 7:45 AM, eventually took off around 1:00 PM after the hay was removed and the aircraft was cleared for operation. Passengers onboard the flight noticed "straw or grass" jutting out of the wing of the Airbus A320 while it was taxiing. They promptly alerted the crew, which led to the aircraft returning to the bay for a thorough inspection.

Air India confirmed the incident in a statement, stating that "AI2354 scheduled to operate from Mumbai to Bangkok on 25 June 2025 was held back as some hay was found stuck below the left wing of the operating aircraft." The airline further added that the source of the hay could not be identified.

Following the removal of the hay, the aircraft was deemed safe for operation. However, the delay had a cascading effect as the flight crew exceeded their regulatory flight duty time limitations. As a result, the original crew could not proceed with the flight, necessitating a change of crew. Passengers were disembarked and provided with refreshments while awaiting a fresh set of flight crew.

Air India has initiated an investigation into the incident, tasking the service provider handling the aircraft at Mumbai airport to determine how the hay came to be lodged under the wing. The incident has also been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the safety regulator, for further review.

The airline has expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers, emphasizing that safety remains its top priority. This incident occurred shortly after the DGCA had detected multiple violations related to airlines, airports, aircraft maintenance, and repeated defects during a nationwide surveillance drive.