A Lufthansa flight from Bengaluru to Frankfurt was diverted to Mumbai and terminated on September 20 after an unusual smell was detected in the aircraft cabin, leaving 364 passengers to be accommodated on alternative flights.
Flight LH755, operated by Lufthansa as a daily non-stop service between Kempegowda International Airport and Frankfurt, was scheduled to depart Bengaluru around 3 a.m. The departure was delayed by three-and-a-half hours before the aircraft took off.
The Boeing 747 was subsequently diverted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. Lufthansa officials said the diversion was carried out so that the source of the smell could be examined, but it could not be determined and the flight was therefore terminated in Mumbai.
“Flight LH755 diverted because of operational issues and the flight was terminated in Mumbai. There was an issue with smell in the aircraft cabin due to which the flight was diverted to Mumbai,” Jeffrey James, Head of Lufthansa Group Communications for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, told The Hindu.
Mr. James said the airline accommodated all passengers on alternative flights so they could continue their journey to Frankfurt. The incident caused substantial delays for travellers, with passengers reporting that they had remained inside the aircraft at Mumbai during the disruption.
The delay, diversion and passenger handling at Mumbai were highlighted in social media posts by travellers. One passenger, Felix Remedios, said the flight was already 3.5 hours late when it was diverted and that passengers had been stuck inside the aircraft for two hours. He also referred to the lack of sleep and the extended delay in reaching the destination.
Lufthansa said its Bengaluru-Frankfurt flight on September 21 departed from Kempegowda International Airport as scheduled. The airline operates the route daily, making it one of Bengaluru’s direct international air links to Europe.
The airline did not disclose the nature of the smell or the operational findings that led to the diversion. The affected passengers were moved to alternative flights, while the subsequent LH755 service operated from Bengaluru according to schedule.
