Pune: Flight operations at Pune Airport resumed on Saturday morning after being suspended for nearly nine hours following an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft that blocked the runway.
The disruption began late Friday night when a fighter jet reportedly encountered a technical issue during landing. According to officials, the aircraft’s landing gear malfunctioned around 10:25 pm, resulting in a hard landing that rendered the runway unusable.
Authorities confirmed that the aircrew remained safe and there was no damage to civilian infrastructure. Immediate efforts were launched to clear the runway and restore operations, with teams working through the night.
The temporary closure caused significant inconvenience for passengers, as multiple incoming flights were diverted to cities such as Surat, Goa, Chennai, Coimbatore and Navi Mumbai. Several early morning departures and arrivals were also cancelled due to the disruption.
Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, stated that restoration work was carried out on a priority basis while ensuring safety protocols. He added that he remained in constant coordination with airport authorities and Air Force officials during the operation.
Normal flight services gradually resumed, with departures restarting around 7:30 am and arrivals following shortly after. Officials indicated that air traffic would stabilise over the course of the day as schedules return to normal.
The incident has once again highlighted the importance of rapid response coordination between civil aviation authorities and defence agencies in handling emergencies at shared-use airports.
