Air India Flight Turbulence: Passengers in Wheelchairs, Baby Among Injured
Aircraft on Phuket-Delhi route suddenly lost altitude during landing, witnesses describe cabin chaos. Meanwhile, Taiwan announces doubling of airport service fees.
Aircraft on Phuket-Delhi route suddenly lost altitude during landing, witnesses describe cabin chaos. Meanwhile, Taiwan announces doubling of airport service fees.
Air India flight AI2379, flying from Phuket to Delhi on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, encountered severe turbulence just before landing. The aircraft suddenly lost altitude, and passengers and crew members who were not secured sustained injuries. Despite the dramatic scenes, the aircraft landed safely in the Indian capital around 11 a.m. local time.
A company spokesperson confirmed the incident, describing it as a "brief turbulence-induced event that led to a temporary change in flight altitude." Photos from the airport show emergency vehicles, with some passengers leaving the plane in wheelchairs or with visible bandages on their heads.
One passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, described the moments of terror to Indian agency ANI. "We had been flying for about an hour and a half. It was early morning and most of us were asleep. Suddenly the plane tilted and swayed for two to three minutes," he recounted.
According to him, between 15 and 20 people were injured. "A baby was injured. I hurt my lower back, and my brother injured his shoulder and back," he added. He noted that more details would be known once medical reports arrive. Official figures on the number of injured vary: local media report two crew members and ten passengers injured, while the witness speaks of a higher number. Air India has not released an exact figure.
The airline stated that all passengers and crew members disembarked the aircraft and that there were no serious injuries. "A small number of passengers and crew members with minor injuries were taken to the airport medical facility for precautionary checks and necessary assistance," the Air India statement read. They added that the safety and well-being of passengers are an absolute priority and that they are fully cooperating with the authorities investigating the incident.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), turbulence was the cause of as much as 40 percent of all serious passenger injuries in air travel in 2023.
In separate aviation news, Taiwan has announced its first increase in airport service fees in over a decade. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced that the departure fee for passengers will increase in two phases: from the current 500 New Taiwan dollars (NT$, about €15.4) to NT$750 from September 1, 2026, and then to NT$1,000 from September 1, 2028.
"We have estimated that approximately NT$600 billion will be needed for airport construction projects over the next 20 years," said Han Chen-hua, Director of the Department of Navigation and Aviation. Revenue from fees last year amounted to NT$12.8 billion, and the first phase of the increase is expected to bring in an additional NT$6.4 billion annually. After 2028, annual fee revenue is projected at NT$25.6 billion.
The ministry also announced a change in revenue distribution. From September 2026, 60 percent of the funds will go to airport construction and 40 percent to tourism development, while from 2028, this ratio will shift to 65 to 35 percent. Previously, revenue was split equally.
Despite the increase, Taiwan's fees remain lower than those in many neighboring countries. Singapore's Changi Airport charges NT$1,597, Hong Kong NT$1,434, Tokyo's Narita NT$1,239, and Thailand's Suvarnabhumi NT$1,187. Taoyuan Airport, Taiwan's main international airport, recorded 25.8 million passengers in the first half of the year, a 10 percent increase over the same period last year, and could reach a record 50 million this year.
