Pune Airport Flight Operations Temporarily Suspended After IAF Aircraft Incident; IndiGo Issues Passenger Advisory

Pune: The flight operations at Pune Airport were brought to a halt on Friday after an incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft at the Lohegaon airfield left the runway temporarily unavailable. The joint-user facility, which handles both military and civil traffic, suspended civilian departures and arrivals as the airport authorities began work to restore the strip.

The concerned officials confirmed that the aircrew involved in the incident are safe and there was no damage to civil property in or around the airport complex. While details of the aircraft and the nature of the incident were not immediately released, the development led to an abrupt pause in commercial schedules during the afternoon.

The airlines and airport staff were seen informing passengers of delays as efforts got underway to clear the runway. The disruption comes at a time when Pune typically sees heavy traffic from both business and leisure travellers, adding to the urgency of resuming operations.

Aircrew Safe, No Damage to Civilian Infrastructure

In an initial statement, the Indian Air Force stressed that the safety of personnel was not compromised. “The aircrew are safe and there is no damage to civil property,” officials said, seeking to reassure the public as news of the closure spread. The IAF and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are coordinating on the ground to assess the situation.

Notably, since Pune’s runway at Lohegaon is shared between the IAF and civil aviation, any military-related occurrence has an immediate knock-on effect on passenger flights. The airfield is a critical node for western India, and even a short closure tends to create a backlog of diverted or rescheduled services.

According to sources familiar with the operations, the technical teams were mobilised quickly to inspect the runway surface and remove any obstruction caused by the incident. The priority, officials noted, is to ensure that the strip meets all safety parameters before civil flights are allowed to resume.

IndiGo Issues Advisory

Following the incident, IndiGo issued an advisory for the passengers regarding delayed flight operations at the Pune airport. In a post on X, IndiGo stated, “Travel Advisory. Due to the unavailability of the runway at Pune airport, some flights to and from Pune may be impacted. We understand this may affect your travel plans, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. • We recommend checking your flight status before heading to the airport:  https://goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html.”

“• If your flight is impacted, you may choose an alternate flight or opt for a full refund through Plan B: https://goindigo.in/plan-b.html. • Our teams are proactively reaching out to customers with updates on their bookings. Our airport and customer service teams are available to assist you should you need any support. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to minimise the impact on your journey,” the IndiGo advisory read. 

Efforts Underway To Restore Normal Operations

The concerned authorities indicated that work to operationalise the runway is already in progress, with multiple agencies involved in the clearance and safety checks. “Efforts are underway to clear the runway and resume normal flight operations at the earliest,” an update from the airport stated. No specific timeline was provided, but the officials said they are making efforts to minimise passenger inconvenience.

The airlines are expected to issue revised schedules once clearance is received from air traffic control and the IAF. The passengers have been advised to check with their respective carriers before heading to the airport and to monitor official advisories for real-time updates on departures and arrivals.