After Two Days In Russia, Air India Passengers Land In San Francisco

Photo: AI ferry flight AI195 brought the passengers to SFO. An Air India team was on board the flight to provide support and carried essentials in addition to food.

India-West News Desk

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Air India on June 8 said that all San Francisco-bound passengers who had been stuck in Russia for two days after engine trouble had forced an emergency landing, had arrived safely after the airline had picked them up with a replacement aircraft. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel had earlier said there were less than 50 U.S. citizens on the flight.

While apologizing, to the 216 passengers and 16 crew members on board, the airline also said it will fully refund the ticket fare to every passenger. “We will fully refund the fare for the journey and, in addition, provide a voucher for future travel to the passengers on Air India,” senior airline executive Rajesh Dogra said while apologizing to the passengers.

On June 6, Air India flight AI173, from Delhi to San Francisco, was forced to divert and make an emergency landing at Magadan airport due to a technical issue with one of its engines.

“All our passengers are being extended maximum on-ground assistance with clearance formalities and provided other necessary support,” it said. “Air India thanks government agencies, regulatory authorities, our staff and partners involved in supporting our endeavor to bring our passengers to SFO as soon as possible and in providing them care while they waited in Magadan, Russia,” it added.

U.S., European, and Japanese carriers have stopped flying over Russia while Air India continues to do so despite the Ukraine war and the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines 370.