In a bizarre case of operational mismanagement, Air India’s Canada-bound flight AI185 had to make a U-turn after being airborne for eight hours on Friday. The flight, which took off from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, landed back at the same airport after authorities realized they had deployed an aircraft that lacked the necessary permits to enter Canadian airspace.

The aircraft in question, a Boeing 777-200LR, reportedly did not have the regulatory clearance required for international entry into Canada. By the time the clerical error was detected, the plane had already spent four hours flying towards its destination. Including the return journey, passengers were stuck in the air for a total of eight hours, only to find themselves back in Delhi. While the airline emphasized that all passengers are safe and were deboarded without any incident, the incident has sparked outrage on social media regarding Air India’s flight planning protocols. The airline is currently arranging a fresh aircraft with valid permits to fly the stranded passengers to Canada.