London, January 9 - Air India flight AI117, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered VT-NAC, On January 8, 2026, encountered a serious in-flight emergency while en route from Amritsar, India, to Birmingham Airport in the United Kingdom. The long-haul service arrived over its destination amid severe winter weather, including heavy snowfall and freezing conditions that severely impacted operations at Birmingham Airport. Visibility dropped below 500 meters, well under the required safety minima for landing, while snow accumulation on the runway further complicated attempts to touch down safely. Despite the advanced low-visibility capabilities of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the crew abandoned the initial approach and entered a holding pattern to await potential improvements in conditions.
Prolonged holding in the vicinity of Birmingham Airport rapidly depleted the aircraft's fuel reserves. After several circuits, the situation escalated to a "minimum fuel" state, where further delays would compromise the ability to reach an alternate airport. In response, the flight crew declared a general emergency by transmitting Squawk 7700, the international transponder code alerting air traffic control to an urgent onboard issue requiring immediate priority. This declaration ensured expedited handling and positioned emergency services on standby, highlighting the critical nature of the low-fuel emergency facing the Air India Boeing 787.
Coordinating closely with UK air traffic control, the pilots diverted the aircraft to London Heathrow Airport, a facility better equipped for such scenarios with longer runways and Category III Instrument Landing Systems capable of supporting landings in extremely poor visibility. Although Heathrow was also affected by wintry weather, these features provided a greater safety margin for an aircraft operating with limited fuel. The Boeing 787-8 received priority clearance and executed a safe landing on runway 09L before taxiing to gate B49 without further incident.
This Air India flight emergency underscores the challenges posed by adverse weather to international aviation operations, particularly on routes involving the efficient but fuel-conscious Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The successful diversion and landing demonstrate effective crew resource management and the robustness of emergency protocols in modern commercial aviation. No injuries were reported, and the incident concluded safely thanks to proactive decision-making amid the fuel shortage triggered by unavoidable holding delays at Birmingham Airport.