Air India Delhi-Amritsar Flight AI479 Briefly Enters Pakistan Airspace; Here's Why

An Air India passenger flight operating from Delhi to Amritsar briefly crossed the international border into Pakistani airspace on Monday night, June 22, while executing a routine go-around manoeuvre, the airline confirmed. The incident, involving flight AI479 on June 22, occurred near the Amritsar airport during its scheduled landing approach. Air India has formally reported the event to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the operating pilot has reportedly been taken off duty pending an internal investigation.

Overcrowding Prompts Aborted Landing

The Airbus A321 aircraft departed Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at approximately 9:18 PM on Monday. It was initially cleared to land at Amritsar's Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport around 10:30 PM. However, severe air traffic congestion at the destination airport forced multiple aircraft into holding patterns. Air India Viral Video: Flight Attendant Slams Passengers for Leaving Trash Inside Cabin.

Faced with a lack of an immediate landing slot, the flight crew executed a standard go-around procedure. During this turning sequence, the aircraft drifted past the international boundary near Attari and remained inside Pakistani airspace for less than two minutes before Lahore Air Traffic Control (ATC) alerted the pilot, prompting an immediate turn back to Indian airspace.

Technical Investigation and Diversion

Following the brief border infringement, the flight was instructed by air traffic controllers to return to the national capital rather than attempting another landing in Amritsar. The aircraft landed safely back in Delhi for a mandatory technical examination and refuelling. After receiving the necessary operational and safety clearances, the flight departed again and finally touched down in Amritsar at around 2:20 AM on Tuesday, nearly four hours behind schedule.

Air India released an official statement addressing the operational detour, emphasising that safety guidelines were preserved. "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 airline said. "At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew remain top priority." Air India CEO Race: Nipun Aggarwal and Vinod Kannan Emerge As Frontrunners To Replace Campbell Wilson.

Broader Aviation Context

Aviation experts note that minor airspace drift during poor weather or sudden airport diversions occurs occasionally and is typically resolved seamlessly through international coordination protocols between neighbouring ATCs. Just days prior, on June 12, a Fly Jinnah flight from Lahore to Dubai had briefly crossed into Indian airspace over Punjab to bypass adverse weather conditions before being safely guided back to its designated route. The incident takes place against a backdrop of tight bilateral airspace restrictions originally enacted in April 2025 following a security event in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities from both nations handled the mid-air redirection in compliance with standard international civil aviation rules, and officials confirmed that the temporary route deviation posed no security or safety threats to the passengers on board.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 24, 2026 08:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).