Air India Flight Briefly Enters Pakistan Airspace; DGCA Takes Action Against ATC, Crew
An Air India flight from Delhi to Amritsar briefly strayed into Pakistan airspace on the night of June 22, 2026, while performing a go-around at Amritsar airport. The incident occurred when the aircraft, operating as flight AI479, was manoeuvring after a bird strike led to a runway inspection.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 24 announced interim action against the air traffic controller at Amritsar and the airline's operating crew for failing to report the event. The regulator stated that after the aircraft commenced its approach during radar vectoring, it briefly entered Pakistan airspace.
DGCA confirmed that the event was coordinated with Pakistan air traffic control authorities. The aircraft subsequently diverted to Delhi and landed safely there. Air India said in a statement that the incident has been reported to regulatory authorities and is being investigated internally.
Pakistan has closed its airspace for Indian airlines since April 2025. The source noted that after returning to Delhi, the aircraft took off again for Amritsar nearly an hour later, landing after 10 p.m. The number of passengers on board was not disclosed.
