Air India Flight AI479 Briefly Enters Pakistan Airspace During Amritsar Go-Around Before Landing In Delhi

New Delhi: An Air India Airbus A321 flying from Delhi to Amritsar strayed briefly into Pakistani airspace on Monday while executing a go-around at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport. The airline confirmed the incident involving flight AI479 on June 22, saying that the matter had been reported to regulators and was under internal review.

According to the airline, the unscheduled diversion followed a runway inspection after a bird strike. Reports suggested that as the aircraft was being vectored by radar during its approach, it crossed the international boundary for a short duration before being redirected. The crew maintained communication with air traffic control (ATC) and landed safely back in Delhi.

In a statement later, Air India stressed that passenger and crew safety remained its highest priority. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is now examining the sequence of events to ascertain how the infringement occurred and whether procedures need tightening.

Go-Around After Bird Strike Leads To Airspace Breach

According to the DGCA, flight AI479 was instructed to hold due to a runway inspection following a bird strike on the Amritsar runway. After the aircraft began its approach under radar guidance, it briefly entered Pakistani territory. The regulator stated that the event was coordinated with Pakistan’s air traffic control authorities at the time, following which, the plane was diverted to Delhi and completed a safe landing.

Air India issued a statement acknowledging the deviation, saying, “On 22.06.2026, Air India Airbus 321 Aircraft VT‑PPV operating flight AI 479 (Delhi - Amritsar) during approach was asked to hold due to runway inspection post a bird strike incident. After the aircraft commenced approach during radar vectoring, the aircraft briefly entered the Pakistan airspace. The event was coordinated with Pakistan ATC Authorities. The aircraft finally diverted back to Delhi and safely landed at Delhi. Interim action has been taken against concerned Air traffic controller at Amritsar and the operating crew for non-reporting of the event.”

The airline underlined that the well-being of passengers and crew was paramount throughout the episode. No injuries or safety concerns were reported on board, with the DGCA officials reviewing radar tracks, ATC recordings and crew actions to assess whether the radar vectoring or hold instructions contributed to the brief crossing.

Though such inadvertent incursions are rare and usually resolved through coordination between neighbouring ATC units, the officials treat them seriously, given the sensitive nature of the India-Pakistan border. The officials stated that the investigation will also look at whether additional safeguards are needed for approaches at Amritsar, which sits close to the international boundary.