An Air India flight with 88 passengers on board to Los Angeles via Frankfurt had to return to the Delhi airport after it hit a bird.

The aircraft returned and landed safely with a damaged engine as full emergency procedures were put in place at the IGI Airport, airline sources said.

The engine would have to be replaced, the sources said. They said the passengers of the AI-137 were sent to different hotels by the Air India staff and efforts were on to accommodate them in the flights of other carriers.

Last week, an Air India plane took off and landed under emergency conditions as it was on its way to the US to re-fit one of its engines.

It was not carrying any passengers.

Air India planes have lately been suffering from engine defects, causing cancellation and clubbing of a large number of its international flights.