An Air India flight crew member and an air traffic controller have been suspended by Indian authorities following an occurrence that involved a brief unauthorized entry into Pakistani airspace. The occurrence took place near Amritsar when the airport in the city was closed for a runway assessment due to a bird strike. The Air India flight AI479, flying from Delhi to Amritsar, was ordered into a holding pattern and unintentionally crossed into Pakistani airspace by around three miles. This entry was reportedly coordinated with Pakistani air traffic control; however, the failure to report the incident by both the pilot and the air traffic controller resulted in their suspension by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
This incident brings to light the ongoing friction between India and Pakistan, as Pakistani airspace has been restricted to Indian flights for over a year. Although there was coordination with Lahore’s air traffic control, the oversight in reporting the incident to regulators was considered a major error. The aircraft ultimately returned to Delhi due to low fuel levels, landing more than two hours after it had initially departed.
The primary concern is not the airspace violation itself, which occurred with consent, but the lack of a formal report regarding the incident. This situation raises concerns about the protocols in place for managing such occurrences and the communication among the involved parties. The incident highlights the necessity of complying with regulatory standards, particularly in sensitive geopolitical situations.