NEW DELHI: A Vancouver-bound Air India aircraft going via the east — and not even taking the Gulf war zone route — had to return to Delhi after nearly nine hours of flying on Thursday. The reason: AI has clearance to operate its Boeing 777-300 extended range (ER) fleet to Canada and not the B777-200 long range (LR) version. But on Thursday (March 19), it sent one of its B777 LR to Vancouver from Delhi as AI 185 with a full planeload of passengers which did not have the clearance to enter Canada.Only when the aircraft had flown for over four hours and was in Chinese airspace near Kunming did the airline realise its very costly mistake. It then called the aircraft back to Delhi where according to flights tracking sites, it landed at 7.19 pm Thursday after taking off from here earlier in the day at 11.34 am.

.

Different countries have different protocols for the foreign airlines allowed to fly to their shores. Some allow airline-wise, some fleet-wise and some can give specific approvals for individual aircraft tail number. In AI’s case for Canada, the approval is for B777 ER version and not the LR one.The airline is learnt to have taken a very serious note of this expense mistake and action is being contemplated for those responsible for this lapse. “We learn from our mistakes and the same shall never be repeated. The moment this lapse was realised, the aircraft was called back to Delhi,” said sources.A B777 burns about 8-9 tonnes of fuel every hour, depending on wind flows and other factors. At this time when oil prices are on fire and rupees touches new life-lows on a daily basis, this was one mistake the loss-making airline could have done without.An AI spokesperson said: “Air India flight AI185, operating from Delhi to Vancouver on March 19, returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew had disembarked.”“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unforeseen situation. Our ground teams in Delhi had provided all necessary assistance, including offering hotel accommodation, while every effort was made to fly the passengers to their destination at the earliest. The flight departed this morning for Vancouver with the passengers. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority,” the spokesperson added.Pilots and passengers flying to the west from over the Arabian Sea since Feb 28 are mentally prepared that their plane may have to return to India. But for a plane to do so while flying west via the east in these days due to a ” human error” has surprised even the most seasoned aviation professionals.