Pakistan Denies Airspace to Indigo Jet Facing Storm Over Amritsar

An Indigo Airlines flight en route from Delhi to Srinagar experienced severe turbulence on Wednesday evening due to adverse weather conditions. Passengers aboard the flight were reportedly gripped with fear as the aircraft encountered a storm accompanied by hail, resulting in considerable instability mid-air. Despite damage to the aircraft’s nose section, the pilot managed to land the plane safely at Srinagar Airport, showcasing timely and skilled handling of the emergency.

Flight 6E2142, operated by Indigo Airlines, had departed Delhi with 227 passengers on board. As the aircraft neared its destination and passed over Amritsar, it unexpectedly entered a storm system marked by heavy hail. The sudden and violent turbulence caused panic among the passengers.

Responding swiftly to the deteriorating weather, the pilot contacted Lahore Air Traffic Control (ATC) in Pakistan, requesting temporary permission to enter Pakistani airspace to evade the storm. However, according to reliable sources cited by news agency PTI, Pakistan’s ATC declined the request. Consequently, the pilot was forced to continue on the originally planned route through the turbulent conditions.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., the pilot alerted Srinagar Airport’s Air Traffic Control about the emergency. He then successfully executed a safe landing. Post-landing inspections revealed that the aircraft's nose cone had sustained damage, but all passengers and crew members were unharmed. Indigo confirmed that no injuries were reported and stated that the aircraft has been temporarily grounded for repairs and declared “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG).

The refusal by Pakistan to grant temporary airspace access has sparked discussion, especially in light of historical tensions between the two countries. Following the Pulwama attack, both India and Pakistan had imposed reciprocal airspace restrictions. Analysts suggest that the ongoing bilateral airspace limitations may have influenced Pakistan’s decision to deny Indigo’s emergency request.