Sun Oct 19 12:08:39 UTC 2025: ## Air India to Fly Stranded Passengers Home from Milan After Dreamliner Issue

New Delhi, October 19, 2025 – Air India will operate a special flight from Milan to Delhi today, Sunday, October 19th, to repatriate over 250 passengers stranded in the Italian city following the cancellation of flight AI138 on Friday, October 17th. The cancellation was due to a technical issue affecting the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft scheduled to operate the flight.

Passengers took to social media to express their frustration with the situation, citing concerns about inadequate facilities and the potential impact on their Diwali celebrations. Many had been rebooked on flights arriving after the holiday.

In a statement released today, Air India announced the special flight, AI138D, scheduled to depart Milan at 19:00 local time and arrive in Delhi on the morning of October 20th. The airline stated that the rectification process on the aircraft in Milan was expedited and necessary approvals secured to operate the additional commercial flight.

“To ensure that the affected passengers can return home to India in time for the festive occasion, our teams expedited the rectification process on the aircraft at Milan and secured the necessary approvals to operate an additional commercial flight, AI138D,” the statement read.

Air India also confirmed that its teams are actively contacting affected passengers who were previously rebooked on alternative flights with post-Diwali arrivals, offering them the option to either maintain their existing bookings or transfer to the special flight. The airline had previously stated that passengers were being rebooked on alternative flights on or after October 20th, based on availability.

The airline had also addressed concerns about visa validity, confirming that at least one passenger with a Schengen visa expiring on October 20th had been rebooked on a flight departing Milan on October 19th with another airline.

This incident highlights the challenges airlines face when dealing with unexpected technical issues, particularly during peak travel seasons. Air India’s efforts to arrange a special flight demonstrate a commitment to mitigating the impact on its passengers, especially during the important Diwali holiday.

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