New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- Air India Express (IX 2658) flight bound for Hyderabad from Visakhapatnam returned on Thursday, within 22 minutes of takeoff following a bird strike at the port city.

An Air India Express spokesperson said that the "flight had to be cancelled pending certification of the aircraft's feasibility to return to service."

The Hyderabad bound plane - which is an Airbus A320 - took off from Vizag at 2:38 pm but returned within 22 minutes, covering only about 10 nautical miles, Visakhapatnam Airport director S Raja Reddy told PTI.

The pilot of the Air India Express plane which had 103 passengers on board, requested for the emergency landing and returned to the port city after abandoning the journey to Hyderabad.

"After d...