Post by : Meena Ariff

A significant aviation alarm was raised at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) when an Ariana Afghan Airlines flight arriving from Kabul erroneously landed on a runway designated solely for departures on Sunday afternoon.

Flight FG 311, an Airbus A310, was authorized to land on runway 29L. However, it mistakenly touched down on runway 29R at approximately 12:06 pm on November 23. Runway 29R is primarily intended for departing flights, while 29L is allocated for incoming aircraft.

Air traffic control officials characterized the situation as a “miraculous escape,” noting that another plane was scheduled to depart from runway 29R at the same instance. Fortunately, FG 311 landed on an unoccupied runway, averting a potentially disastrous runway incursion.

Aviation authorities have commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incident and are preparing to escalate this matter to Afghan aviation officials to ensure that safety protocols are thoroughly reviewed and enforced.

This episode comes amid a string of near-miss occurrences at Delhi airport over the past few months:

• August: A Vistara aircraft was reportedly seconds away from a potential collision while taxiing, attributed to miscommunication between pilots and air traffic control.

• Earlier this year: An IndiGo and an Air India aircraft nearly collided on a converging taxiway, prompting safety advisories from aviation authorities.

• Last month: Two planes were cleared to utilize intersecting runways in quick succession, leading to calls for enhanced coordination among air traffic controllers.

Officials have stressed the necessity for rigorous adherence to runway protocols and better communication between pilots and air traffic control to prevent similar dangerous situations in the future.

Passengers on FG 311 were reported to be unharmed, and the flight proceeded safely to its terminal. Aviation experts are underscoring this incident as a crucial reminder of the high stakes tied to runway management in bustling international airports like Delhi IGIA.

#Travel News