Air India has recently come to the realization that a Boeing passenger jet it thought to be lost for over a decade is still present at Kolkata Airport, where it was left unaccounted for since 2012. The airline has paid nearly 10 million rupees in parking and handling fees for the aircraft, which had been systematically omitted from official records over the years.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-200, was initially registered to Indian Airlines before its deregistration. It was later leased to India Post and converted into a cargo aircraft. The jet’s disappearance from official documentation has been attributed to staff turnover and record-keeping gaps, as reported by official sources.
Campbell Wilson, CEO of Air India, stated that the aircraft was decommissioned in recent years and that it was involved in operations for India Post. The aircraft, aged 43, was sold and transported to Bengaluru for use in ground training for aircrew members. This incident marks the 14th abandoned aircraft cleared from Kolkata Airport in recent years, emphasizing ongoing challenges in aircraft record management.
Additionally, two ATR-72 aircraft, operated by Alliance Air, have also remained unclaimed at the airport for about five years and are stationed in a remote part of the facility. The situation follows a recent tragic crash of a London-bound Air India flight in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the death of all onboard except one, and the grounding of three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for investigation.
