Air India passenger complains of ‘hissing' noise on Delhi-Hong Kong flight, here's what the airline had to say

Indian Express

6 hours ago

Passengers aboard an Air India flight from Delhi to Hong Kong raised concerns after reportedly hearing a 'shaking, hissing' noise coming from the door of the Boeing 787 shortly after takeoff. According to a report in the Times of India, the unsettling sound sparked worry among passengers. A social media user shared a photo allegedly taken during the flight.
In the post, the user claimed that the cabin crew responded to the complaints by stuffing napkins into the door to muffle what they described as 'hissing, growling noises.'
'Scary 15 minutes trauma as reported by the passenger. I do not wish to sound like an activist, or wish to malign any business or brand, but I feel safety & security concerns must be highlighted by each one of us. I presume there are pre-flight safety & security compliance checks which must be taken seriously,' the LinkedIn post read.
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Responding to the reports, Air India, in a statement, clarified that the noise did not pose any safety threat. 'A hissing sound started emanating from the decorative door panel mid-flight, and after assessing that there was no risk to safety, the crew took action to alleviate the noise. After landing in Hong Kong airport, the aircraft underwent checks by the engineering team,' the airline said, TOI reported.
The airline further said thorough inspections were conducted before the aircraft was approved for operations on June 1. The source of the sound was a decorative panel on the door rather than the door mechanism itself, they said.
'All safety parameters were found to be in compliance, and the aircraft was cleared for service. There was no such noise during the return flight AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi. We would like to reiterate that the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority,' the airline said.
Air India confirmed that after the aircraft landed in Hong Kong, it was inspected and found airworthy. It later flew back to Delhi without any reported issues.
The incident came to light after the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Several aviation incidents and fear have flooded the Internet ever since.