Delhi-Amritsar Air India flight briefly enters Pak airspace during go-around

An Air India flight from Delhi to Amritsar briefly entered Pakistani airspace near Attari for under two minutes during a go-around on June 22 before returning to Delhi.

In Short

• Air India flight AI479 briefly entered Pakistani airspace on June 22
• The incursion occurred during a go-around at Amritsar airport
• Flight stayed less than two minutes inside Pakistani airspace near Attari

An Air India flight from Delhi to Amritsar briefly entered Pakistani airspace while carrying out a go-around during its landing approach at Amritsar airport on June 22, the airline confirmed on Wednesday, adding that the incident has been reported to aviation regulator DGCA and is under internal investigation.

Flight AI479 marginally crossed the international border near Attari and remained inside Pakistani airspace for less than two minutes, according to available flight tracking data. In a statement, the DGCA said the brief entry of the Air India flight into Pakistani airspace during its approach to Amritsar was coordinated with Pakistani air traffic control authorities.

Sources told India Today TV that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed about the inadvertent intrusion into Pakistani airspace.

According to sources, the incident occurred because of heavy congestion at Amritsar airport. Multiple aircraft were asked to remain in a holding pattern before landing, prompting AI479 to execute a go-around after its approach.

During the manoeuvre, the aircraft briefly entered Pakistani airspace before immediately returning to Indian airspace, sources said.

As congestion at Amritsar airport persisted, the crew decided to divert the flight back to its alternate airport, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft circling over the Amritsar area before turning back to Delhi.

After refuelling in Delhi, the aircraft resumed its journey and later flew to Amritsar the same evening, sources added.

Confirming the incident, Air India said the brief entry into Pakistani airspace occurred while the crew was carrying out a standard go-around manoeuvre at Amritsar airport.

"The crew operating flight AI479 from Delhi to Amritsar on 22 June had marginally infringed into the Pakistan airspace while manoeuvring a go-around at Amritsar airport," the airline said in a statement.

Air India said the matter has been reported to the regulatory authorities and an internal investigation has been initiated.

The DGCA sources have also confirmed that the regulator has been apprised of all developments related to the June 22 incident involving AI479.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of flight operations in the region following recent airspace restrictions and security-related measures, though there is no indication that the brief airspace entry posed any immediate safety risk.

DGCA CONFIRMS AIRSPACE BREACH

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the brief entry of Air India flight AI-479 into Pakistani airspace was coordinated with Pakistani air traffic control (ATC) authorities.

According to the regulator, the incident occurred on June 22 when Air India Airbus A321 aircraft VT-PPV, operating flight AI-479 from Delhi to Amritsar, was on approach to Amritsar airport. The aircraft was instructed to enter a holding pattern due to a runway inspection following a bird-strike incident.

The DGCA said that after the aircraft commenced its approach, it briefly entered Pakistani airspace during radar vectoring. The event was coordinated with Pakistan ATC authorities, and the aircraft later diverted back to Delhi, where it landed safely.

The regulator also said interim action has been taken against the concerned air traffic controller at Amritsar as well as the operating crew for not reporting the incident.

PAK FLIGHT ENTERS INDIAN AIRSPACE

The Air India incident comes just days after a Pakistani aircraft briefly entered Indian airspace under similar circumstances. On June 12, Fly Jinnah flight 9P514 (FJL514), operating from Lahore to Dubai, briefly crossed into Indian airspace over Punjab while deviating from its route to avoid adverse weather conditions.

The aircraft returned to Pakistani airspace after the weather-related manoeuvre. Like the Air India incident, the brief airspace infringement was not linked to any security threat.

- Ends