Air India bus bursts into flames at Delhi airport

Panic gripped Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday afternoon (October 28) after a bus meant for transporting Air India passengers from terminal to aircraft suddenly caught fire near Bay 32 of Terminal 3. 

There were no injuries as the bus was empty, and the driver managed to escape unharmed.

According to NDTV, the bus, operated by SATS Airport Services Private Limited, went up in flames around noon. 

Airport firefighting teams rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze within minutes. 

The Delhi International Airport Authority (DIAL) described it as an “accidental incident,” confirming that all airport operations remain normal.

“The bus was completely empty and the situation was brought under control swiftly. The safety of passengers and staff remains our top priority,” DIAL said in a statement.

However, the episode adds to a troubling pattern for India’s flag carrier, which has been dogged by safety controversies in recent months. 

In June, an Air India Boeing 787 crashed in Gujarat, killing at least 260 people. Just weeks later, another Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi caught fire in its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) after landing.

The incidents have triggered growing concern over Air India’s safety standards. In July, India’s civil aviation regulator DGCA revealed 51 safety violations against the airline in the previous year — including seven classified as “Level 1,” the most serious category of infractions.

Authorities have launched internal investigations into both the bus fire and the broader safety lapses, as scrutiny intensifies on the national carrier’s maintenance and ground operations.