Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and his delegation were facing travel disruptions in India as their official aircraft, an Airbus A310, developed technical faults.
The malfunction has left them stranded in New Delhi, causing uncertainty and a potential delay in Trudeau’s return to Canada.
This incident highlights the need for Canada to replace its ageing VVIP aircraft fleet. Other countries, such as the United States and India, have already taken steps to upgrade their VVIP travel capabilities.
The 30-year-old aircraft, an Airbus A310, was scheduled to transport Trudeau and his team back to Canada from Delhi on Sunday night. However, just before departure, the aircraft experienced a malfunction, rendering it unfit for the journey.
Upon learning of the technical issues, the Canadian Armed Forces informed the delegation that immediate repairs were not possible. As a result, Trudeau’s team will remain in India until alternate travel arrangements can be made. A second aircraft, CFC002, has been dispatched to facilitate their return.
This incident is not the first of its kind involving the ageing Canadian VVIP fleet. In the summer of 2018, a similar snag occurred, causing a delay in Trudeau’s travel plans to Delhi.
