A Bengaluru-bound IndiGo Airlines flight carrying 216 passengers made an emergency landing at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport here after suffering a bird hit, airport officials said on Monday.
The aircraft, operating as flight 6E 437 from Gorakhpur to Bengaluru, sustained damage to its front portion following the bird strike during the flight late on Sunday night. Given the potential risk, the pilot immediately alerted the Varanasi Air Traffic Control and sought permission for an emergency landing.
Airport Director Puneet Gupta said all passengers were safely evacuated after the aircraft landed without further incident. “Given the seriousness of the situation, the pilot immediately contacted the Varanasi Air Traffic Control and safely landed the aircraft at the Varanasi airport,” officials said.
Gupta added that while some passengers were flown to their destination on Monday, arrangements were made to accommodate the remaining passengers on alternate flights. No injuries were reported.
Bird strikes are considered a serious aviation hazard, particularly during take-off and landing phases, and airports across India follow strict wildlife hazard management protocols to minimise such incidents. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) mandates immediate inspection and clearance procedures before affected aircraft can resume operations.
Also read: IndiGo flight crisis: Panel submits probe report to DGCA
Meanwhile, the incident comes days after IndiGo’s parent company InterGlobe Aviation disclosed that an appellate authority had rejected the airline’s appeal against penalties imposed by the aviation regulator on two senior executives.
In September last year, the DGCA imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh each on IndiGo’s Director Flight Operations and Director Training for alleged failure to use qualified flight simulators for pilot training at certain airports.
The Appellate Authority, through an order dated January 7, dismissed the airline’s appeal. “The matter has been disposed of by reinstating the penalty of Rs 20 lakh each on the Director Flight Operations and Director Training of the company,” InterGlobe Aviation said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The DGCA had imposed the penalties over alleged lapses in simulator training for operations at Category C aerodromes, which typically require additional pilot preparation due to operational complexities. IndiGo had earlier said it was contesting the order before the appropriate authority.
Shares of IndiGo closed 1.22 per cent lower at Rs 4,844.70 on the BSE on Friday.
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