An Air India Express flight from the Kerala state capital to Dubai returned, on Sunday, barely a couple of hours after take off due to an issue with the air conditioning system of the aircraft, Thiruvananthapuram airport officials said.

The flight, IX 539, which took off with 174 people onboard -- including the crew -- from here at 1.19 PM returned back and landed safely at 3.52 PM, an airport official said.