A bird-hit forced an Air-India Boeing 747-400 flight to return to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai on Saturday, 90 minutes after takeoff.

The New York-bound flight via London (AI 101) -- with 445 passengers and crew on board -- left at 7.45 am, but had to land at 9:15 am due to the bird-hit.

Following a crew change, the passengers were transferred to another Boeing 747 for their onward journey. The flight left shortly after 1 pm, an Air-India spokesperson said.