Bengaluru: A Fly91 flight (IC3401) travelling from Hyderabad to Hubballi was forced to divert to Bengaluru on Sunday, April 19, 2026, after adverse weather conditions prevented a safe landing. The incident, which came to light on Monday, involved an ATR 72-600 aircraft carrying 22 passengers. The flight had departed Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at approximately 3:00 PM and was scheduled to arrive in Hubballi by 4:30 PM.
According to airport officials and passenger accounts, the aircraft hovered over Hubballi for nearly an hour as the flight crew waited for visibility and weather conditions to improve. After several unsuccessful attempts to land, the pilots decided to divert the aircraft to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, where it landed safely at around 6:30 PM. The passengers remained airborne for nearly three and a half hours, during which intense turbulence caused significant panic. Viral social media videos showed distressed passengers praying and crying while the crew attempted to maintain order.
Airline Statement and Restoration
-
No Technical Fault: Fly91 issued a statement clarifying that the diversion was strictly weather-related and not caused by any technical malfunction. The airline emphasized that circling (holding) and diverting are standard safety protocols dictated by pilot discretion and air traffic control.
-
Journey Completion: After refueling and waiting for weather clearance, the flight departed Bengaluru at 11:00 PM and successfully landed in Hubballi later that night.
-
Regional Impact: The same weather system affected multiple flights in the region, including a Mumbai-to-Kolhapur service that was diverted to Goa.
Fly91 had only recently inaugurated its Hubballi operations on April 17, 2026, as part of a strategy to strengthen regional connectivity in North Karnataka. Despite the harrowing experience for those on board, the airline reiterated that all safety procedures were followed and all 22 passengers reached their destination safely.
