A routine turnaround at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport turned alarming on 28 October when an Air India SATS apron bus erupted in flames just metres from a parked Airbus A321 at Terminal 3. Ground staff evacuated the stand and activated foam tenders within minutes, preventing damage to the aircraft and averting injuries.
Preliminary investigation points to an electrical short-circuit in the 15-year-old COBUS vehicle. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered Air India SATS and other ground handlers at IGIA to submit maintenance logs for all airside vehicles older than ten years within 48 hours.
While passenger services were not interrupted, the incident raised questions about ageing GSE fleets as air traffic rebounds to 118 % of pre-Covid levels. Airlines have quietly asked Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to accelerate plans for a common-user electric GSE pool that would retire diesel buses.
Corporate travel managers should expect minor gate-hold delays this week as additional safety checks lengthen turnaround times. The episode underscores the importance of reviewing carriers’ Safety Management Systems (SMS) when negotiating corporate contracts.
Preliminary investigation points to an electrical short-circuit in the 15-year-old COBUS vehicle. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered Air India SATS and other ground handlers at IGIA to submit maintenance logs for all airside vehicles older than ten years within 48 hours.
While passenger services were not interrupted, the incident raised questions about ageing GSE fleets as air traffic rebounds to 118 % of pre-Covid levels. Airlines have quietly asked Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to accelerate plans for a common-user electric GSE pool that would retire diesel buses.
Corporate travel managers should expect minor gate-hold delays this week as additional safety checks lengthen turnaround times. The episode underscores the importance of reviewing carriers’ Safety Management Systems (SMS) when negotiating corporate contracts.
