IndiGo, SpiceJet flights come face-to-face at Delhi’s IGI airport

Two IndiGo and SpiceJet planes came face to face at Delhi’s IGI airport on a foggy Tuesday morning, triggering scare among the authorities.

Two IndiGo and SpiceJet planes came face-to-face at Delhi’s IGI airport on a foggy Tuesday morning, triggering scare among authorities and passengers.

The two planes came face to face at the Delhi airport taxiway on foggy Tuesday morning. (HT Photo on Twitter / @FaiHaider)

IndiGo said its Lucknow-Delhi flight 6E-769 was following ATC instructions all the time at the airport. A statement by the airline said the crew saw another aircraft while taxing in. The captain-in-command followed standard operating procedures and switched off the engine.

“There has been no unfortunate incident or close shave-off as reported by a section of media. All 176 passengers along with the crew are safe. IndiGo flight was observing ATC instructions all the time at Delhi airport,” the statement said.

It said the matter was being investigated by the IndiGo safety department and the regulator DGCA. “At IndiGo, safety of the passengers, crew and the aircraft are of top priority – and at no time it can be compromised.”

Read | Delhi airport operator blames airlines for delay during fog

A SpiceJet spokesperson too said their Delhi-Hyderabad flight SG 123 was following instructions of the Air Traffic Control (ATC).

“...the SpiceJet crew observed another aircraft on the same taxiway in the opposite direction. Acting promptly, the SpiceJet crew immediately stopped the aircraft and intimated the ATC. Safety is of utmost and primary concern at SpiceJet.

“At no stage the safety of passengers, crew and aircraft was compromised. All concerned authorities were immediately informed,” the spokesperson said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered a probe into the incident, which came hours after a Jet Airways flight skidded during take-off at Goa airport.

Read | DGCA asks airlines to follow rules during low visibility ops