The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken interim action against the air traffic controller in Amritsar and the airline's operating crew for non-reporting of the airspace breach incident. According to the latest DGCA statement, the aviation regulator confirmed that interim action has been taken against both the ATC and the operating crew for their roles in the incident. The DGCA stated that 'the event was coordinated with Pakistan ATC Authorities' and that the aircraft finally diverted to Delhi and safely landed at Delhi after the incident.
An Air India flight operating from Delhi to Amritsar briefly entered Pakistani airspace on June 22 during a go-around manoeuvre at Amritsar airport, as confirmed by the airline. According to Air India, the crew operating flight AI479 had 'marginally infringed' into Pakistan airspace during the manoeuvring procedure. As reported by Business Standard, the incident occurred at a little past 8 pm on Monday when the aircraft had to go around at the Amritsar airport. The source indicated that almost an hour after returning to the national capital, the aircraft again took off for Amritsar and landed there after 10 pm. Flight tracking data from flightradar24.com shows that flight AI479 entered Pakistan airspace and returned to India within minutes of the incident.
The Tata Group-owned airline has reported the incident to the relevant regulatory authorities and launched a comprehensive investigation into the matter. As reported by Air India, the airline stated that the incident has been reported to regulatory authorities and an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances that led to the crew entering Pakistan airspace. The carrier emphasized that 'safety of passengers and crew remain top priority' at Air India and is conducting an internal inquiry into the incident. According to Hindustan Times, the airline did not disclose the specific duration or extent of the airspace breach, maintaining that the investigation is ongoing. Air India confirmed that the matter has been reported to the relevant aviation regulators and is currently under internal investigation, with the airline reviewing the circumstances that led to the deviation and cooperating fully with authorities.
According to preliminary information from Hindustan Times, the aircraft was initially instructed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to hold over 13 DME (Distance Measuring Equipment). However, it continued towards AAR, took a left turn and crossed the International Border (IB), resulting in a brief entry into Pakistani airspace. The incident occurred during the aircraft's approach to Amritsar airport, specifically during a go-around manoeuvre that pilots execute when an initial approach is not successful. The crew had to abort the initial landing approach at Amritsar and initiate a go-around procedure, a standard aviation safety manoeuvre where an aircraft discontinues landing and climbs back into the air for another attempt. DGCA confirmed that Air India aircraft VT-PPV, during approach, was asked to hold due to runway inspection after a bird strike incident. The crew had to abort the initial landing approach at Amritsar and initiate a go-around procedure, a standard aviation safety manoeuvre where an aircraft discontinues landing and climbs back into the air for another attempt.
The incident occurs amid ongoing airspace restrictions between India and Pakistan, with Pakistan extending its airspace ban for Indian aircraft since April 2025. The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) issued a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) extending the closure, covering all aircraft registered in India, including those operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators. The restriction also applies to Indian military flights, as reported by HT. The ban on Indian aircraft — both civil and military — will remain in effect from 5:50 pm June 16 until 4:59 am July 24, according to a notice issued last week by the Pakistan Airports Authority. India and Pakistan closed their respective airspace to each other's airlines last year due to tensions following an attack on Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Aviation authorities are expected to review flight data to determine the exact sequence of events and assess whether any procedural changes are required.
