A fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) made a precautionary landing at Prayagraj Airport on Tuesday following a technical glitch detected mid-flight. The emergency landing led to the temporary suspension of all commercial flight operations, causing significant disruption to air travel.
According to IAF officials, the fighter jet was on a routine training mission when an onboard indicator prompted the pilot to make an emergency landing as a safety measure. The aircrew and ground staff handled the situation swiftly and professionally, ensuring there was no damage or injury. The pilot is reported to be safe.
As a result of the emergency landing at around 10 am, the runway at Prayagraj Airport was blocked. IAF authorities immediately issued an alert, and all incoming and outgoing passenger flights were suspended. An IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Prayagraj was diverted to Lucknow mid-air. Flights from Prayagraj to New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bilaspur were also cancelled, affecting nearly 400 passengers. Only a scheduled flight to Hyderabad managed to operate before the runway was closed.
Prayagraj Airport director Mukesh Upadhyay confirmed the suspension of operations, stating, “Due to the emergency landing of the IAF aircraft, the runway was blocked, and all scheduled flights had to be cancelled. Passengers were assisted and given options to travel via Varanasi Airport. Some opted for refunds, while others rebooked for Wednesday.”
{{/usCountry}}Prayagraj Airport director Mukesh Upadhyay confirmed the suspension of operations, stating, “Due to the emergency landing of the IAF aircraft, the runway was blocked, and all scheduled flights had to be cancelled. Passengers were assisted and given options to travel via Varanasi Airport. Some opted for refunds, while others rebooked for Wednesday.”
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