Flight operations at Pune Airport have resumed after the runway, which was shut following an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft, was declared operational on Saturday morning.
In a statement posted on X around 9 am, the Indian Air Force said, “The runway at Pune Airport, which was temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft, has now been restored and declared operational. All necessary safety inspections and clearances have been completed. Operations are resuming in a phased manner.”
The development comes hours after the IAF said the runway was “temporarily unavailable” following the incident in the wee hours of Saturday. Later, it had clarified that the aircrew were safe and there was no damage to civilian property, without detailing the nature of the incident.
According to airport authorities, the disruption was caused when a fighter aircraft experienced an undercarriage failure during landing around 10:25 pm, blocking the runway.
Officials had estimated that it would take four to five hours to clear the strip and restore operations.
The closure had led to widespread disruption in flight schedules early in the day.
As per the Airport Director, IndiGo cancelled 31 arrivals and 34 departures, while Air India cancelled three arrivals and three departures. SpiceJet called off two arrivals and three departures, and Akasa Air cancelled two arrivals and three departures. Air India Express also reported five arrivals and five departures being cancelled.