Pune: Air India Express Flight Aborts Landing Due to Dogs on Runway at Lohegaon Airport
Pune: Air India Express Flight Aborts Landing Due to Dogs on Runway at Lohegaon Airport( AI Image for Representation Purpose)
PUNE: An Air India Express flight (IX-1097) from Bhubaneswar to Pune, carrying 150 passengers, was forced to abort its landing on Saturday evening after dogs were spotted on the runway at Lohegaon Airport. The aircraft, which took off at 5 p.m., was scheduled to land around 7 p.m. but had to perform a go-around a standard aviation procedure where the pilot discontinues landing and climbs back into the air after receiving instructions from Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Flight Passenger, a Vimannagar resident travelling with three friends, said, “We were just about to land when the plane suddenly took off again. The pilot later informed us that ATC had warned of dogs on the runway and advised a go-around.” The flight landed safely at around 7:20 p.m.
“This is not the first time such an incident has happened. There’s unchecked garbage dumping around the airport, attracting stray dogs and birds. Authorities must act before it’s too late,” he added.
The Lohegaon airfield is part of an Indian Air Force (IAF) base. While the IAF controls the runway and ATC operations, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages the civil terminal.
Incidents involving wildlife and stray animals at the airport have been reported frequently. Just this month, there have been multiple disruptions due to bird activity. In June, an Air India Delhi-Pune flight suffered a bird hit. In February, a stray dog was fatally hit by a SpiceJet aircraft, and in April, a leopard was spotted near the runway, evading capture for several days.
As concerns grow, aviation experts and passengers alike are calling for immediate and concrete action to ensure the safety of flight operations at Pune Airport.
