Air India is facing its biggest operational crisis since being acquired by the Tata Group three and a half years ago, with seven international flights cancelled on Tuesday and a technical snag forcing passengers on the San Francisco–Mumbai flight to deboard during a scheduled stopover in Kolkata.

Air India on Tuesday cancelled at least eight international flights to be operated on Boeing 787 Dreamliner and one on a B777. The B787 can.

The Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft developed a snag in its left engine after passengers boarded the flight and the passengers were asked to deplane