On July 31, 2025, an Air India flight AI2017, bound for London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in Delhi, aborted its takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. The flight was operated by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

The cockpit crew detected a potential technical fault during the takeoff roll and, adhering to standard operating procedures, decided to discontinue the takeoff. The aircraft then returned to the parking bay for precautionary inspections. According to FlightRadar24 data, the flight was initially scheduled to depart at 13:25 local time but attempted takeoff at 14:23 local time due to delays. The pilot stopped the takeoff roll at 115 knots.

Air India confirmed the incident in an official statement, emphasizing that safety protocols were strictly followed and that all passengers were unharmed. The airline expressed regret for the disruption and stated that all safety and emergency procedures were promptly initiated.

To minimize inconvenience, Air India arranged an alternative aircraft, another ex-Vistara 787-9, registered as VT-TSP, to fly the passengers to London. This aircraft has 299 seats, including 30 Business Class, 21 Premium Economy, and 248 Economy class seats. The original aircraft involved in the incident was a 4.8-year-old Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registered as VT-TSN, powered by two GEnX engines.

This incident occurred amidst heightened scrutiny of Air India's safety protocols. Earlier in the week, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) identified 51 safety violations during its annual audit of the airline, including outdated training manuals, incomplete pilot training, unqualified simulators, and irregularities in approvals for low-visibility operations. Seven of these violations were labeled as critical Level I breaches, which the airline was ordered to resolve by July 30, while the remaining 44 issues must be addressed by August 23. The DGCA's audit follows recent enforcement actions, including the grounding of an Air India aircraft after inspectors found its emergency slide overdue for inspection. The regulator has also issued three show-cause notices to the airline and given it 15 days to respond.

A similar incident occurred on July 21, 2025, when an Air India Airbus A321, operating flight AI2403 from Delhi to Kolkata, aborted takeoff at high speed due to a technical fault detected during acceleration. The crew performed emergency braking at approximately 155 km/h. The aircraft was later cleared for a rescheduled departure after safety checks were completed. In June 2025, an Air India Dreamliner Boeing 787-8 plane en route to London Gatwick crashed into a building soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.