A Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight from Madurai was diverted to Chennai on Monday following a mid-air technical issue, the airline confirmed.
Flight SG23, which was carrying 160 passengers and seven crew members, landed safely at Chennai airport without incident.
Safe landing After ‘Technical Glitch’
SpiceJet said the flight was diverted as a precautionary measure after a technical snag was detected during the journey. “On October 27, 2025, SpiceJet flight SG 23 operating from Madurai to Dubai was diverted to Chennai due to a technical issue. The aircraft made a normal landing and not an emergency landing. Passengers were deplaned normally,” a spokesperson for the airline said in a press statement.
Airport authorities confirmed that the aircraft landed safely, and all passengers disembarked without delay. Maintenance teams were subsequently deployed to inspect the aircraft and identify the cause of the malfunction.
Frequent Snags Reported
The incident is the latest in a series of technical issues reported by the airline in recent months. Last Thursday, a Patna-bound SpiceJet flight was forced to return to Delhi shortly after takeoff due to a technical fault. In September, a Pune–Delhi flight made a mid-air turnback and landed under full emergency conditions.
In a separate case last month, a full emergency was declared at Mumbai airport after a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft lost an outer wheel soon after takeoff from Kandla. The plane, en route to Mumbai, landed safely after the wheel reportedly detached mid-air.
SpiceJet continues to face financial difficulties, with more than half of its 54-aircraft fleet currently grounded. According to an Economic Times report, the airline’s domestic market share has fallen to 1.9%, its lowest level on record. As of June-end, SpiceJet reportedly held only Rs 333 crore in free cash, much of which was allocated to statutory dues.
To stabilise operations ahead of the winter season, the carrier plans to induct 10 Boeing 737 aircraft on short-term leases and is in talks for additional aircraft to expand capacity in the coming months.
