Daijiworld Media Network - Pune
Pune, Apr 18: The Indian Air Force (IAF) late Friday night said the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following an incident involving one of its aircraft, disrupting both incoming and outgoing commercial flight operations.
According to initial reports, the incident involved a fighter aircraft that reportedly experienced a hard landing during a routine night flying sortie.
In a statement, the IAF confirmed that the aircrew were safe and no civil property was damaged.
“Pune runway is temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an IAF aircraft. The aircrew are safe and there is no damage to civil property. Efforts are underway to operationalise the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest,” the IAF said.
Airport and police sources indicated that the aircraft may have suffered an undercarriage failure upon touchdown, leading to the blockage of the runway. However, official confirmation on the technical cause is awaited.
Authorities said the incident occurred around 10.25 pm, following which air traffic was immediately suspended as a precautionary measure.
Pune airport, which operates under a dual-use model with an active Air Force station at Lohegaon, witnessed a complete halt in civilian flight operations.
Air Force Air Traffic Control officials estimated that it may take four to six hours to clear the runway and restore normal services. Airlines were informed of the disruption, and several flights were impacted.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the development, stating that passenger safety remained uncompromised and efforts were underway to resume operations at the earliest.
Recovery operations continued overnight, with IAF personnel and airport authorities working to remove the aircraft and ensure runway safety.
Meanwhile, IndiGo issued a travel advisory cautioning that multiple flights to and from Pune could be affected. The airline urged passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and offered options to rebook or claim a full refund under its Plan B policy.
IndiGo said its teams were actively assisting passengers and providing timely updates amid the disruption.