SpiceJet Delhi–Patna Flight Returns Mid-Air After Technical Issue; All Passengers Safe

A Patna-bound SpiceJet aircraft was forced to return to Delhi shortly after take-off on Thursday morning following a technical snag, the airline confirmed.

Flight SG 497, operated by a Boeing 737, took off from Delhi but soon turned back. The plane made a normal landing, and all passengers were safely deplaned, SpiceJet said in a statement.

“On October 23, SpiceJet flight SG 497 operating from Delhi to Patna returned back to Delhi after take-off due to a technical issue. The aircraft landed normally and passengers were deplaned safely,” the airline said, adding that an alternate aircraft was arranged and is now en route to Patna.

SpiceJet has not disclosed the number of passengers on board.

This comes amid a string of technical incidents involving the budget carrier in recent months.

• On September 12, a SpiceJet flight from Kandla to Mumbai lost an outer wheel during take-off but landed safely.

• Earlier, a Kathmandu-bound flight reported a suspected tailpipe fire at Delhi airport and returned to the bay as a precaution.

The airline, which has been navigating financial and operational stress, reported a net loss of ₹234 crore for the April–June quarter of FY26, compared to a profit of ₹158 crore in the same period last year.
SpiceJet attributed the loss to grounded aircraft and lower leisure travel due to global tensions.

The latest mid-air technical issue comes just ahead of the Chhath festival, when air traffic between Delhi and Bihar typically surges.