Air India IndiGo Ground Safety Scare Sparks DGCA Investigation
An operational error at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport led to a serious ground safety scare when an Air India flight made an incorrect turn, positioning itself directly opposite a departing IndiGo aircraft on a shared taxiway, triggering an immediate regulatory probe.
Key Highlights
- An Air India Airbus A320-family jet entered the wrong taxiway path after landing from Mumbai.
- The misdirected aircraft faced a departing IndiGo flight, with the planes stopping 200 meters apart.
- More than 300 passengers and crew members were on board both commercial flights during the scare.
- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has launched a formal investigation into the procedural breakdown.
Mumbai: A post-landing wrong turn by an Air India aircraft on the tarmac of Ahmedabad Airport triggered a major ground safety scare after it ended up facing an IndiGo aircraft heading for departure on the same taxiway. While the crew managed to keep the aircraft from getting extremely close to each other, the incident is expected to draw regulatory scrutiny.
Around 8pm on Wednesday, when an IndiGo flight 6E-5160 was taxiing out toward the runway for its departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to Mumbai, an Air India flight AI-2493 touched down from Mumbai and was proceeding towards the stand. As the two planes rounded the bend, they found themselves staring directly at each other on the same narrow strip of asphalt.
According to sources, the incident involved two of India’s largest commercial carriers operating narrow-body Airbus A320-family aircraft, collectively carrying over 300 passengers and crew. The Air India flight was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to taxi to Stand 34L via Taxiway C and Taxiway G. Instead of following the assigned line, the Air India pilots inadvertently made an incorrect turn, steering the aircraft onto an active taxiway path designated for departing traffic.
Sources at the airport said that both aircraft were brought to a sudden halt, remaining separated by roughly 200 meters. ATC immediately instructed the IndiGo flight to hold its position as a shield, while ground tugs were dispatched to tow the misdirected Air India aircraft back to its correct parking bay. Prompt intervention by the ATC and the alertness of both flight crews prevented a potentially disastrous runway incursion or ground collision.
Both airlines, in their respective statements, confirmed that the situation arose because of an incorrect turn by the Air India aircraft. Air India claimed that there was no compromise on the safety of passengers and crew. The IndiGo aircraft experienced a minor departure delay due to the incident, but took off at 8.24pm and landed in Mumbai at 9.21pm.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a formal probe into the incident, according to internal sources. Sources close to the development indicated that the Air India operating crew is highly likely to face immediate action, such as de-rostering, pending the final safety report.
While the physical distance between the two planes ensured there was no immediate impact risk, senior officials emphasised that taxiway incursions are classified as severe procedural breakdowns. Ahmedabad airport handles heavy traffic with a single-runway layout, meaning a single spatial awareness error can easily cascade into gridlock or a catastrophic collision.
Future Outlook
As domestic air traffic in India continues to expand rapidly, industrial experts project that airport infrastructure will face heightened operational pressure. Single-runway configurations at major hubs like Ahmedabad leave very little margin for errors in spatial awareness.
The outcome of the DGCA investigation is highly expected to result in revised terminal routing protocols, mandatory pilot retraining on regional taxiway layouts, and potential technological upgrades in ground radar tracking to prevent similar close-call incursions.
FAQs
What caused the ground safety scare at Ahmedabad Airport?
The incident occurred because the pilot of an incoming Air India flight executed an incorrect turn on the tarmac after landing, steering the aircraft onto an active taxiway path where an IndiGo flight was already taxiing out for departure.
How close did the Air India and IndiGo planes get to each other?
The two narrow-body Airbus A320-family aircraft were brought to a sudden halt by their respective flight crews and remained separated by a distance of approximately 200 meters.
What actions are being taken following the taxiway incursion?
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has initiated a formal safety investigation into the procedural breakdown. Internal sources indicate that the Air India operating crew will likely face immediate de-rostering pending the final safety report.
