Air India Flight from Vijayawada to Bengaluru Cancelled After Bird Hit on Runway

An Air India flight from Vijayawada to Bengaluru was cancelled on Thursday (September 4) morning after it was hit by a bird.

According to a PTI report, an eagle reportedly struck the nose of the aircraft while it was taxiing on the runway for takeoff. The airline cancelled the flight and made alternate arrangements for the passengers. As per reports, there were more than 90 passengers on board the aircraft.

The aviation sector in India has been under intense scrutiny since the devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed over 240 lives.
During the recent Parliament session, it was revealed that Indian airlines cancelled as many as 5,706 flights between January and June this year (H1 2025) due to regulatory and geopolitical issues.

The cancellations accounted for around 1 per cent of the total 5,72,079 departures during the same period, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The data covered six carriers — Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Alliance Air.

Mohol noted that airlines incur additional costs when flights are delayed or cancelled, including fuel charges, crew overtime, maintenance, airport fees, and rebooking expenses. In addition, airlines are required to refund or compensate passengers in such cases.