Pune Airport Closure:Flight operations atPune International Airportwere hit late Friday night (April 17) after a fighter aircraft incident forced the runway to shut, triggering widespread delays and cancellations.
According to officials, an Indian Air Force aircraft experienced an undercarriage failure during landing at around 10.25 pm, blocking the runway. Authorities said the aircrew were safe, and there was no damage to civil property, but the runway was rendered unusable for civilian flights for several hours.
The sudden disruption led to the immediate suspension of arrivals and departures. Several incoming flights were diverted to cities such as Surat, Chennai, Goa and Coimbatore, while many outbound flights were cancelled. Passengers reported confusion and long waits at the airport as schedules went off track overnight.
Travellers at the airport described the situation as chaotic, with one stranded passenger reporting “huge chaos” after a late-night Pune to Indore flight was cancelled. Airport authorities later apologised for the inconvenience and urged passengers to stay in touch with their airlines for updates.
Airlines, including IndiGo, advised flyers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Passengers affected by cancellations were offered options to reschedule or seek refunds.
Pune MP said it could take four to five hours to clear the runway and resume normal operations. Efforts were underway to restore services at the earliest.
Pune Airport, which serves both civilian and military operations, is one of Maharashtra’s busiest hubs. Any disruption to its single runway often leads to cascading delays across multiple routes, especially during peak travel hours.
Passengers are advised to check real-time updates before travelling and allow extra time as operations gradually return to normal.
Sudhanshu Mishra is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Now. While his day-to-day work centres on news, his writing interests lie in the intersections of cu...View More
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
