The nose landing gear of an Air India Airbus A320 was severely damaged at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday night, following an accident involving a ground support vehicle – triggering flight disruptions, passenger delays, and a formal claim for compensation.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 pm on 15 November, as the aircraft – scheduled for a direct flight to Delhi with 126 passengers on board – was preparing for departure.
All passengers had boarded, and cabin doors were closed when a pushcart operated by a ground handler from Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ Ground Support Equipment (GSE) unit accidentally struck the aircraft’s front wheel during a routine movement.
The impact caused immediate and significant damage to the nose landing gear, rendering the aircraft unserviceable.
As a safety protocol, the flight was cancelled, all passengers were deplaned, and arrangements were made for their overnight accommodation in Dhaka.
On Sunday morning, November 16, the passengers were rebooked onto an Air India flight bound for Mumbai, from where they were transferred to Delhi later in the day.
The damaged aircraft remains grounded in the Bay Area of the airport, awaiting technical assessment and repairs. Air India has formally written to Biman Bangladesh Airlines seeking full compensation for the damage, operational losses, and passenger inconvenience.
In response, Biman’s Managing Director and CEO, Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman, confirmed the incident was caused by “indifference and negligence” on the part of the ground staff member operating the pushcart.
“This was a preventable human error,” Dr Rahman said. “The operator failed to follow standard safety procedures during vehicle movement near aircraft. Immediate disciplinary action has been taken.”
The driver involved has been suspended pending investigation and issued a show-cause notice. Biman confirmed that the employee will be dismissed effective Monday, November 17, and that internal safety audits are being intensified across all ground handling operations.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has also initiated a review of ground handling protocols at the airport, particularly regarding vehicle-to-aircraft clearance zones and staff training compliance.
Air India has not yet commented on whether it will pursue further legal or financial remedies beyond the compensation claim.
The incident has reignited concerns about ground handling standards at Dhaka’s international airport, especially as passenger traffic continues to rise. Biman has pledged to retrain all GSE personnel and install additional proximity sensors at high-risk parking zones to prevent recurrence.