Air India Flight Inadvertently Crosses Into Pakistan During Go-Around at Amritsar

An Air India flight from Delhi to Amritsar briefly entered Pakistani airspace during a routine go-around manoeuvre on its landing approach at Amritsar Airport on June 22, 2026. This incident has prompted an investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Flight AI479, an Airbus A321, reportedly crossed the international boundary near Attari and was in Pakistani airspace for less than two minutes before re-entering Indian airspace, according to Air India and aviation officials.

The event took place amid heavy air traffic at Amritsar Airport, with multiple aircraft instructed to hold, necessitating AI479 to perform a go-around during its approach.

The DGCA explained that the aircraft had been directed to hold due to a runway inspection following a bird-strike incident. During radar vectoring for landing, the aircraft briefly entered Pakistani airspace, a movement coordinated with Pakistani Air Traffic Control (ATC).

Following the manoeuvre and continued congestion, the crew diverted the flight back to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, where it landed safely. After refuelling, the aircraft proceeded to complete its journey to Amritsar later that evening.

Air India confirmed the incident in a statement, noting it had been reported to the relevant regulatory bodies.

"The crew operating flight AI479 from Delhi to Amritsar on June 22 had marginally infringed into Pakistan airspace while manoeuvring a go-around at Amritsar Airport," the airline said, adding that an internal review has commenced.

The DGCA has also initiated its own investigation into the incident. Interim measures have been taken against the air traffic controller involved and the operating crew for not reporting the event through official channels.

Authorities have emphasized that the brief airspace intrusion posed no immediate safety or security threat and was managed through established coordination procedures between the two countries' aviation bodies.

This occurrence follows a similar incident less than two weeks earlier, when a Fly Jinnah flight 9P514 from Pakistan briefly entered Indian airspace over Punjab on June 12 due to weather deviations. That event was also considered non-threatening and attributed to operational needs.

Aviation officials are set to review the investigation's outcomes to determine any procedural gaps and to implement measures preventing future incidents.

The situation underscores the intricate nature of air traffic management in border areas, where operational demands, weather, and airport congestion may require swift coordination between neighboring air traffic controllers.