Panic at Lucknow airport during landing of IndiGo flight.
Lucknow. An IndiGo flight arriving in Lucknow from Delhi encountered a sudden, strong gust of wind while attempting to land on Thursday night. As the aircraft approached the runway, the wind pressure caused it to wobble slightly. Sensing the situation, the pilot acted promptly and wisely, pulling the aircraft back up into the air. This incident caused panic among the passengers on board; some became frightened and began to scream.
According to reports, the IndiGo flight had departed from Delhi for Lucknow. After a routine flight, the aircraft was preparing to land at Lucknow Airport. Just as it neared the runway, it was hit by a strong gust of wind. A sudden shift in wind direction and speed caused the aircraft to lose its balance during the landing approach.
The pilot immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. Prioritizing a safe landing, the pilot decided to climb back up rather than land on the runway. In aviation terminology, this maneuver is known as a “go-around.” It involves the pilot taking the aircraft back to a higher altitude and attempting to land again when a safe landing is not possible for some reason.
The aircraft’s sudden ascent caused a chaotic scene among the passengers. Many were terrified, and some began shouting in panic. However, the pilot maintained full control of the aircraft and took this measure to ensure passenger safety.
Subsequently, the aircraft circled in the air for a while, waiting for weather conditions to stabilize. The pilot then made a second landing attempt and successfully landed the aircraft safely on the runway. All passengers remained safe.
This is reportedly the second instance in the last ten days where strong winds have caused landing difficulties at Lucknow Airport. Earlier, on September 8, an Air India flight also failed to land on its first attempt due to crosswinds and had to make a second attempt. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was on board that flight as well. Strong winds and weather conditions often pose challenges during airport landings. In such situations, pilots make decisions by taking into account wind speed, direction, and runway conditions. Adhering to safety protocols, if a landing appears risky, pilots will abort the descent, climb back up, and attempt a safe landing.
According to aviation experts, a “go-around” is not an unusual occurrence but rather part of standard safety procedures for pilots. They make this decision to ensure passenger safety in the event of adverse weather, strong winds, runway obstructions, or any other complications during the landing process.
While the incident on Thursday night caused some initial alarm among passengers, the pilot’s vigilance ensured the aircraft landed safely. Officials managing airport operations have also emphasized that safety is the top priority in such situations.
Given the prevailing weather and wind conditions in Lucknow, flight operations are being closely monitored for the coming days. Passengers are advised to stay updated on weather conditions and flight status before their journeys.