CHANDIGARH: Airbus AI-321 (Flight AI-463), from Delhi to Amritsar, briefly entered Pakistani airspace on Monday night as it was manoeuvring a go-around due to heavy traffic congestion.
However, the flight safely returned to Indian airspace after being alerted by Pakistani Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Sources said that the aircraft had taken off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi at 9:18 pm on Monday, and it was supposed to land at the Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar at 10:30 pm.
Due to the lack of an immediate landing slot and operational constraints at Amritsar airport, air traffic controllers instructed the flight to return to Delhi.
The aircraft flew back to Delhi, where it landed safely for a technical inspection.
After receiving the necessary operational clearances, the flight took off again for its destination and finally touched down safely in Amritsar at around 2:20 am on Tuesday, nearly four hours behind its scheduled arrival time.
"This happens at times in routine," an official requesting anonymity stated.
The official statement issued by Air India highlighted, "The incident has been reported to the regulatory authorities and is being investigated internally. At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew remains top priority."
This development comes a month after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight briefly entered Indian airspace due to adverse weather before being guided back to its designated route by Indian air traffic control.
Both India and Pakistan have closed their airspace to each other after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year.