- Air India flight AI479 entered Pakistan airspace briefly.
- Incident occurred during go-around manoeuvre at Amritsar airport.
- Airline launched inquiry, informed concerned regulatory authorities.
An Amritsar-bound Air India flight ( AI479 ) from Delhi briefly entered Pakistani airspace on June 22. According to Air India, the flight entered the neighbouring country's airspace during a go-around manoeuvre at Amritsar airport. The incident is considered dangerous as Pakistan has extended its airspace closure for India since March this year.
Event Was Coordinated Wtih Pakistan ATC Authorities: DGCA
Acknowledging the incident, DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) issued a statement, saying the Pakistan ATC Authorities were coordinated during the incident.
"On 22.06.2026 Air India Air bus 321 Aircraft VT‑PPV operating flight AI 479 (Delhi - Amritsar) during approach was asked to hold due to runway inspection post a bird strike incident. After the aircraft commenced approach during radar vectoring the aircraft briefly entered the Pakistan airspace. The event was coordinated with the Pakistan ATC Authorities. The aircraft finally diverted to Delhi and safely landed at Delhi," the DGCA's statement read.
The flight tracking website (flightradar24.com) shows that flight AI479 entered Pakistan airspace and returned to India within minutes.
What Air India Said?
Air India, in its statement, acknowledged the infringement incident, saying the flight had "marginally infringed" into Pakistan airspace as it resorted to a go-round manoeuvre. The crew operating flight AI479 crossed the border and entered Pakistan airspace.
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According to the airline, Air India informed the concerned regulatory authorities. An investigation has been launched to find what led the crew to enter Pakistan airspace. Air India also said that an internal inquiry into the matter is being carried out, asserting that the safety of passengers and crew remains the top priority. The airline is yet to explain the circumstances that caused the infringement.
"The crew operating flight AI479 from Delhi to Amritsar on 22 June had marginally infringed into the Pakistan airspace while manoeuvring a go-around at Amritsar airport. The incident has been reported to the regulatory authorities and is being investigated internally," the statement read.
Pakistan Extends Airspace Ban For Indian Aircraft
Earlier on March 18, Pakistan extended the airspace ban for Indian aircraft. The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) made the decision through a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). The notice was issued days before the previous one was set to expire on March 23. PAA said that Pakistan’s airspace would remain closed to all aircraft registered in India, adding the restriction would continue to apply to aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators. It added that the restriction also covered Indian military flights.
India and Pakistan closed their respective airspace to each other’s airlines last year due to tension in the wake of an attack on Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
(With PTI Inputs)