Why was the landing of Air India AI-479 going from Delhi to Amritsar suddenly postponed? During the ‘go-around’ the aircraft reached Pakistan airspace for some time. DGCA’s action has raised many questions.
New Delhi: Suddenly an incident happened on the international border of India and Pakistan which created a stir in the security corridors and aviation sectors of both the countries. On June 22, Air India flight AI-479 from Delhi to Amritsar reached the verge of disappearance just before landing at Amritsar airport and within a few moments entered Pakistani airspace. As sensitive as this incident was, what was even more surprising was that efforts were made to hide it completely. When the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India officially confirmed the incident on Wednesday, June 24, the entire aviation industry was stunned.
‘Bird-strike’ in the sky and that 45 second scary twist!
This whole incident started like a thriller film. The Air India Airbus A321 aircraft (registration number VT-PPV) was on its normal flight. As the plane approached Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport, there was a sudden ‘bird-strike’ incident on the runway. In view of the need for emergency checks on the runway, Air Traffic Control (ATC) directed flight AI-479 to remain in a ‘holding pattern’ in the sky.
The real suspense started when the aircraft abandoned its landing attempt midway under ‘radar vectoring’ and started the process of taking off again i.e. ‘Go-Around’. Amritsar Airport is located very close to the India-Pakistan border. Here, even a slight deviation from the path is an invitation to big trouble. During the go-around, the pilots lost control slightly and the aircraft inadvertently crossed the international border and went into Pakistani airspace. However, after immediately coordinating with Pakistani air traffic control, the plane was brought back to Indian territory and in view of security, it was diverted to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and landed safely.
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Trying to hide the truth? DGCA’s hunter and the suspense of ‘interim action’
On one hand, the plane had landed safely in Delhi and the passengers were heaving a sigh of relief, on the other hand, a serious negligence was being hidden behind the scenes. It is mandatory to immediately report a serious incident like violation of international border and airspace to the regulatory authorities, but this was not done in this case. When DGCA became aware of this security lapse at its end, it immediately took a strong stand:
- Gag on crew and ATC: DGCA initiated ‘Interim Action’ with immediate effect against both the operating crew and the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) deployed at Amritsar for suppressing the incident and not reporting it in time.
- Serious omissions: Under aviation security rules, this is a ‘procedural violation’. Security agencies believe that not reporting an incident that occurred on such a sensitive border could be a big mistake in terms of national security.
What did Air India say?
Air India has confirmed the incident by issuing an official statement. According to the airline, the aircraft briefly entered Pakistani airspace during the ‘go-around’ procedure. The company said the matter has been reported to the relevant authorities and an internal investigation has been initiated. The airline also reiterated that the safety of passengers and crew is its top priority and all necessary steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in future.
That dark history of April 2025: Why did the old spark rekindle?
This incident has rekindled the old diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Actually, this entire matter has happened in the sensitive background which is applicable from April 2025. Recall that in April 2025, a massive terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people lost their lives. After that attack, there was a direct military confrontation between India and Pakistan for four days.
New challenge amid India-Pakistan airspace dispute
Following the same tension, Pakistan had completely closed its airspace to Indian airlines, in response to which India had also imposed similar restrictions on Pakistani aircraft. Although military tensions are now low, diplomatic relations remain extremely cold. Due to this airspace restriction, airlines of both the countries have to use long and circuitous routes to go to Central Asia, Europe and West Asia, which has led to huge fuel consumption and operational costs. In such a delicate environment, the entry of an Air India plane into the Pakistani border could have given rise to a major diplomatic controversy. At present, officials are assessing the damage and data whether it was just a technical glitch or there was some other human error behind it.