Pune Airport Runway Shut After IAF Aircraft Incident, Crew Safe; Flights Disrupted

Pune Airport runway shut after IAF aircraft hard landing; crew safe, multiple flights delayed and cancelled before operations resumed.

April 18, 2026 | Pune: A major disruption hit air travel in Pune after an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft forced the temporary shutdown of the runway at Pune Airport. The incident occurred late Friday night, leading to suspension of all flight operations for several hours.

According to officials, the disruption was triggered after an IAF fighter aircraft experienced a “hard landing” due to an undercarriage failure, which resulted in the aircraft getting stuck on the runway. The incident took place around 10:25 pm, immediately forcing authorities to halt both arrivals and departures.

The Indian Air Force confirmed that all crew members were safe, and no damage was reported to civilian property. However, the blocked runway meant that operations had to be suspended for nearly 5 to 6 hours, affecting multiple flights during the night schedule.

The impact was significant, with several airlines including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet facing cancellations and delays. Reports suggest that over 80 flights were affected, causing inconvenience to passengers and forcing airlines to reschedule services.

Airport authorities, along with Air Force teams, worked on a war footing to clear the runway and restore normalcy. After safety inspections and necessary repairs, departure operations resumed around 7:30 am, while arrivals restarted by 8:00 am on Saturday.

Officials stated that quick coordination between civil aviation authorities and the Air Force helped minimize the downtime. Since Pune Airport operates as a civil enclave under the Indian Air Force, such incidents require joint handling, which can sometimes lead to temporary disruptions.

While the situation has now been brought under control, the incident has once again highlighted the challenges of managing both military and civilian operations at a shared airport. Passengers are advised to check flight status with airlines before heading to the airport, as some residual delays may continue.

The temporary shutdown of Pune Airport’s runway following the IAF aircraft incident caused significant disruption but was handled swiftly. With crew safe and operations restored, the focus now shifts to ensuring smoother coordination to prevent such disruptions in the future.

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