VADODARA/ AHMEDABAD: Passengers travelling from Chandigarh to Ahmedabad on an IndiGo Airlines flight had their hearts in their mouths for a few minutes on Monday night, when the aircraft suddenly climbed steeply back into the sky just after its wheels had touched the runway at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Passengers on the flight, which was supposed to land at 9.15 pm, were frightened and confused by the touchdown-takeoff.
“The plane started descending at about 8.45 pm, but as soon its wheels touched land the pilot suddenly pulled up and the flight was airborne once again. We got panicky as nobody understood what had happened,” Dr Neel Thakkar, a Vadodara resident, who was among the passengers on Flight 6E 6056, told TOI.”The plane circled in the air for 20 minutes before landing finally,” Thakkar said.
“The unexpected manoeuvre put the lives of over 100 passengers at risk,” he claimed. Thakkar sent an email to the airline, the DGCA and Union civil aviation minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday.
Sources at SVPI airport privy to the development told TOI: “The aircraft had recorded an unstable approach to the ground and, therefore, the air traffic controller at SVPI Airport immediately directed the pilot to take a go-around, i.e., to take off and land properly again. No injury or ailment to any passenger was reported.”
In his mail, Thakkar wrote that he enquired about the incident with the pilot after landing. “Pilot Jagdip Singh responded that this is a routine communication issue and the airline didn’t have ATC clearance to land the aircraft,” Thakkar told TOI.
“If the ATC didn’t clear the landing, then how could the aircraft land in the first place? I also approached the duty manager of IndiGo Airlines, who told me that an inquiry can be conducted if I sent an email to the authorities concerned. I hope they do a detailed inquiry,” Thakkar added.
Another passenger on the same flight, Tejas Joshi, tweeted: “Today, Flight 6E 6056 Chandigarh to Ahmedabad was unable to land at Ahmedabad airport. The flight just reached the runway and took off once again. Panic by passengers (sic).” He tagged IndiGo and AAI in his tweet.
“The plane started descending at about 8.45 pm, but as soon its wheels touched land the pilot suddenly pulled up and the flight was airborne once again. We got panicky as nobody understood what had happened,” Dr Neel Thakkar, a Vadodara resident, who was among the passengers on Flight 6E 6056, told TOI.”The plane circled in the air for 20 minutes before landing finally,” Thakkar said.
“The unexpected manoeuvre put the lives of over 100 passengers at risk,” he claimed. Thakkar sent an email to the airline, the DGCA and Union civil aviation minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday.
Sources at SVPI airport privy to the development told TOI: “The aircraft had recorded an unstable approach to the ground and, therefore, the air traffic controller at SVPI Airport immediately directed the pilot to take a go-around, i.e., to take off and land properly again. No injury or ailment to any passenger was reported.”
In his mail, Thakkar wrote that he enquired about the incident with the pilot after landing. “Pilot Jagdip Singh responded that this is a routine communication issue and the airline didn’t have ATC clearance to land the aircraft,” Thakkar told TOI.
“If the ATC didn’t clear the landing, then how could the aircraft land in the first place? I also approached the duty manager of IndiGo Airlines, who told me that an inquiry can be conducted if I sent an email to the authorities concerned. I hope they do a detailed inquiry,” Thakkar added.
Another passenger on the same flight, Tejas Joshi, tweeted: “Today, Flight 6E 6056 Chandigarh to Ahmedabad was unable to land at Ahmedabad airport. The flight just reached the runway and took off once again. Panic by passengers (sic).” He tagged IndiGo and AAI in his tweet.