Kochi: A Delhi-bound Air India flight from Kochi was forced to abort its take-off due to a technical snag on Sunday night at Kochi airport. The flight AI504, which was scheduled to take off at 10.34 pm, was later moved to the parking bay and the passengers were safely deboarded.

The incident came into light after Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, who was onboard the flight, put a Facebook post claiming that the flight seemed to have 'skid on the runway' before the take-off. "Something unusual with this flight AI 504....it just felt like the flight 'skid on the runway....and hasn't taken off yet....(sic) ", Eden posted, sharing the ordeal. He also shared a photo from the parking bay, apparently after the passengers were deboarded from the flight.

According to Eden, a sudden brake was applied just after the flight gathered substantial speed for the take-off. Initially, the passengers were confused about whether the same flight would take off. However, after nearly an hour, it was confirmed that they would have to deboard and wait for another flight.

Meanwhile, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) spokesperson said the flight did not skid off the runway and the take-off was aborted after the pilot detected a technical snag. "The aircraft was grounded as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and brought back to the bay. It will undergo the necessary maintenance checks. The airline arranged another flight for the passengers," the spokesperson said.

Following the incident, there was a delay of around 4 hours until the airline arranged another aircraft for the passengers, which took off at 2.27 pm and landed in Delhi at 5.33 am.

Earlier, Air India cancelled its Milan-Delhi flight on August 16 due to a last-minute maintenance issue. The incident in Kochi is the latest in a series of frequent technical snags and flight delays for the Tata Group-owned airline, which has been receiving criticism for such issues in recent months.