Pune airport resumes operations hours after IAF fighter jet snag halts runway overnight

Airport authorities are working in coordination with the IAF to resume runway operations at the earliest.

Flight operations at Pune Airport resumed on Saturday morning after being suspended overnight due to an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft that experienced an undercarriage failure during landing and remained stranded on the runway, officials said.

The incident occurred late Friday at around 10:25 p.m., when a technical fault made the runway completely unusable, prompting authorities to temporarily suspend all flight operations. Despite the disruption, officials confirmed that the crew on board was safe and no injuries were reported.

 In the wake of the disruption, repair and clearance operations were carried out on priority overnight to restore normalcy. After completing all safety checks, departures resumed from 7:30 am on Saturday, while arrivals restarted from 8:00 am, according to officials.

Confirming the incident via social media post, Union Minister of State of Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol addressed the situation. He noted that air traffic in Pune is "expected to gradually return to normal over the course of the day."

The Indian Air Force had earlier said that the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following the incident involving one of its aircraft, adding that restoration efforts were already underway.

"Pune runway is temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an IAF aircraft. The aircrew are safe, and there is no damage to civil property," the force said in a statement shared on social media.

"Efforts are underway to operationalise the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest," it added.

According to inputs from IAF Air Traffic Control, it was initially estimated that clearing the obstruction and restoring normal operations would take around four to five hours.

During this time, the runway remained entirely unavailable, affecting scheduled flights until the situation was brought under control.

The incident has disrupted both inbound and outbound commercial flight operations. Given the situation, the in and out flights have been diverted to other locations.

Preliminary reports indicate that the incident involved a fighter aircraft that is believed to have made a hard landing. Sandard safety procedures were activated to ensure there was no risk to personnel or infrastructure.

Airport authorities were working in coordination with the IAF to resume runway operations at the earliest.

Pune airport, which handles both civilian and military traffic, is a key aviation hub in Maharashtra. Any disruption to runway availability typically affects several arrivals and departures, especially during peak hours.

In a separate incident on Thursday, a SpiceJet aircraft collided with a stationary Akasa Air plane at Delhi airport, causing minor damage to both aircraft, though no injuries were reported.

The incident took place around 2:15 pm, when the SpiceJet flight arriving from Leh was taxiing toward its designated bay and came into contact with the Akasa Air aircraft, which was preparing for departure to Hyderabad.

Preliminary reports indicated that the right winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft sustained damage, while the left horizontal stabiliser of the Akasa Air plane was hit in the collision.

An Akasa Air spokesperson said the aircraft operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad returned to the bay following the incident.

“Preliminary information indicates that Akasa’s aircraft was stationary when another airline’s aircraft made contact with it,” the spokesperson said.

The airline said all passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and alternate arrangements were being made to operate the flight.

It added that the relevant authorities have been notified and the incident is under investigation, reiterating that safety remains its highest priority.

With the inputs from Agency...