‘Unstable approach’ sparks landing scare on Pune-Ahmedabad Indigo flight

Ahmedabad: An IndiGo flight operating on the Pune-Ahmedabad sector allegedly overshot its landing approach at Ahmedabad airport, forcing the pilots to initiate a go-around procedure. According to passengers, who were left shocked, the flight barely touched down before taking off again.

The incident involved IndiGo flight 6E 2155 on Thursday morning. The flight departed around 8.55am from Pune, as scheduled and was set to land at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in Ahmedabad at 10.05am.

However, due to the unstable approach, the pilot had to circle around and carry out a second approach before landing safely. This caused the flight to be delayed by 45 minutes, sources confirmed.

The Times of India reached out to IndiGo regarding the cause of the second landing attempt and whether weather, technical, or operational issues forced the go-around. However, email queries sent to the airline went unanswered.

“It was a bit shocking. While we were midair, the pilot asked the cabin crew to prepare for landing. The aircraft was close to touchdown when it began climbing sharply. This shocked and confused the passengers. However, the pilot announced that the air traffic controller (ATC) found the aircraft’s speed too high to land, meaning it could have overshot the runway, so they chose to take off again for a safe landing,” said Jaideep Malaviya, a passenger aboard the flight who was travelling to Ahmedabad for a business conference. “The entire process delayed the flight arrival by about 45 minutes or so. The pilot made the announcement about 15 minutes after the aircraft was midair after taking off again.”

07/06/2026 Niyati Parikh/Times of India

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One in three domestic flyers now uses DigiYatra at Kochi airport

KOCHI: One in every three domestic departure passengers at Kochi airport is now entering the terminal using DigiYatra, airport officials told TNIE.

The development signals a rapid shift towards biometric passenger processing as India’s paperless airport travel platform crossed the 10-crore usage milestone nationwide.

During 2025-26, as many as 7,95,530 passengers used DigiYatra at terminal entry at the Kochi airport, averaging around 2,180 users a day. Since the platform’s rollout, over 1.7 million passengers have availed the facility, according to airport authorities.

The growing adoption comes amid rising passenger traffic at the airport. CIAL handled 1,14,42,583 passengers in 2025-26, registering a 2.2 per cent growth over the previous financial year and crossing the 10-million passenger mark for the fourth consecutive year despite airline operational constraints and geopolitical disruptions affecting parts of West Asia.

7/06/2026 Ronnie Kuriakose/New Indian Express

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DigiYatra Biometric Transit Made Mandatory At Four Indian Airports

In a move to streamline passenger movement using facial recognition technology, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has made it mandatory for international passengers to use the DigiYatra biometric transit system at four key airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Under the DigiYatra system, the passenger’s face will serve as a digital identity token, enabling seamless access through airport entry gates, security checkpoints and boarding areas without repeated document verification.

This initiative is part of India’s broader aviation modernisation strategy aimed at delivering a paperless, contactless and seamless travel experience. The government also plans to expand DigiYatra coverage to 27 additional airports by next year.

Step-by-step details of the DigiYatra biometric transit system

• Passengers will upload an Aadhaar-verified selfie and their boarding pass to the DigiYatra app at least 48 hours before departure.
• Upon arrival at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad airports, passengers can access dedicated biometric e-gates.
• Facial recognition cameras will match their live image with an encrypted biometric template stored in the DigiYatra cloud.
• Successful verification will automatically grant access to the international transit corridor.

Through this new system, passengers will not be required to repeatedly scan paper boarding passes during the transit process.

This will speed up movement and reduce congestion at key checkpoints.

07/06/2026 Vanya Jain/Travel and Leisure Asia

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SAS says working closely with Indian govt to commence flights

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is working closely with Indian government to commence operations to India, the airline has said.

SAS’s relaunch flight from Copenhagen to Mumbai was forced to turn back on Tuesday as it did not have necessary regulatory clearance.

In a new statement the airline said it is fully committed to operating in compliance with all applicable requirements. 

“We appreciate the constructive dialogue and ongoing efforts of the DGCA and the relevant authorities throughout this process,” the airline said.

“India is an important market for SAS, and we remain fully committed to the Copenhagen–Mumbai service and successfully connecting the Scandinavian and Indian regions with seamless options strengthening the economic and cultural ties between our nations,” the airline added.

06/06/2026 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Line

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India is a significant player in Asia Pacific air traffic growth: IATA

Rio de Janeiro: India is a significant player in the growth story of air traffic in the Asia Pacific region, where the number of air passengers is projected to touch 4.1 billion by 2044, according to IATA.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents over 370 airlines, accounting for around 85 per cent of the global air traffic.

The number of air passengers in the Asia Pacific is projected to jump to 4.1 billion by 2044 from 1.7 billion in 2024, which would mean 2.4 billion additional passengers, as per IATA.

At a briefing in the Brazilian city, the grouping's Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific, Sheldon Hee, on Saturday, said India has been a significant player in the growth story for the Asia Pacific for the last several years.

India is one of the world's fastest-growing domestic civil aviation markets. The growth in the Asia Pacific has been strong over the last 5-10 years, and will continue to be strong in the next decade or so, he said.

06/06/2026 PTI/Business Standard

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SpiceJet to suspend air service from Karnataka's Shivamogga from June 9

Shivamogga: After IndiGo Airlines, now SpiceJet is also planning to suspend flight services from Shivamogga. SpiceJet's flight service, which used to operate daily between Chennai and Hyderabad from Shivamogga, will be temporarily suspended from June 9. The company has already suspended its ticket booking process on that route.

SpiceJet started providing flight services between Shivamogga, Chennai and Hyderabad from October 10, 2024 under the UDAN scheme.

This flight, which used to depart from Hyderabad at 10:40 am daily, used to arrive in Shivamogga at 11:40 am. It used to depart from here at 12:10 pm and reach Chennai at 1:30 pm. It departs from Chennai at 2:45 pm, arrives in Shivamogga at 4:05 pm and returns to Hyderabad from here at 4.30 pm.

An airport official told DH that the service has been temporarily suspended till September due to the increase in fuel prices, difficulty in complying with DGCA guidelines and the demand for flights to start from Jewar International Airport in Noida.

06/06/2026 Deccan Herald

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Bengaluru-Mumbai IndiGo aircraft suffers bird-hit, flight delayed

 A Bengaluru-Mumbai IndiGo aircraft suffered a bird hit on Friday when it was taxiing on the runway, forcing the pilot to return to the bay, sources said.

After necessary checks, which included inspection of both engines, the Airbus A321Neo aircraft was declared safe and started its journey after over an hour, they said.

The number of passengers on board was not immediately known.

The aircraft had picked up speed and was preparing for takeoff when the bird-hit happened, a passenger, who was on board the aircraft, said.

"It took more than one hour for the plane to fly again after checking of engines, among others," the passenger said.

06/06/2026 PTI/ET Infra.com

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IndiGo Flight Stranded On Runway Due To Technical Glitch

VIJAYAWADA: An IndiGo flight arriving from Singapore with 155 passengers and crew on board is suspected to have suffered a bird hit while landing at Vijayawada International Airport on Saturday morning.

According to airport authorities, the aircraft landed safely at around 7.33 am. Following the landing, a technical team carried out a comprehensive inspection of the aircraft in accordance with safety protocols.

After completing the necessary checks and clearance procedures, the flight was permitted to resume operations. The aircraft subsequently departed for Singapore from Vijayawada at around 11.45 am with 139 passengers and crew on board.

06/06/2026 Deccan Chronicle

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Two nabbed with 4-kg heroin at Imphal airport

A consignment of 4 kg of heroin was seized at the Imphal airport after CISF personnel caught two passengers with the contraband on June 4. CISF personnel detected a large quantity of suspected narcotic substance during passenger screening at the Imphal airport on Thursday.

CISF personnel noticed suspicious behaviour by a passenger carrying two duffle bags who repeatedly attempted to avoid baggage screening, citing urgency to board his flight.

They insisted on proper security checks and directed the baggage for screening through the Random X-BIS system installed at the departure entry gate.

During detailed screening and subsequent physical examination, suspicious packets concealed inside specially fabricated false bottoms of both bags were detected.

On examination, the contents were found to be suspected heroin.

06/06/2026 Tribune

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Ebola Scare In India: Foreign National With Fever Identified At Hyderabad Airport, Shifted To Hospital Amid Rising Concern

Health authorities in Hyderabad swiftly isolated a Sudanese national after he was detected with fever upon arrival at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) early on Thursday, triggering heightened vigilance amid global concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa.

The passenger, according to The Hindu, a man in his 30s, arrived from Ethiopia and had recent travel history to Uganda and South Sudan regions reporting Ebola activity. He was identified during routine thermal screening by the Airport Health Officer (APHO) as part of enhanced surveillance measures for international arrivals.

According to the report, the traveller had been experiencing fever for the past two to three days but did not exhibit other symptoms commonly associated with viral haemorrhagic fevers. As a precaution, he was immediately isolated and shifted to Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad, the designated Ebola nodal centre in Telangana.

Health officials have repeatedly clarified that the case is not being treated as a confirmed or even suspected Ebola infection at this stage. The referral was made purely as a precautionary measure due to his travel history and detected fever.

06/06/2026 Tanya Dutt/News18.com

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PM Modi inaugurates new terminal building of NAMO Airport in Daman

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal building at NAMO Airport in Daman on Friday, marking a major milestone for the Union Territory’s transport infrastructure. Traditionally reliant on road networks to Gujarat and Maharashtra, Daman is now set to join India’s expanding civil aviation network, offering direct connectivity to major hubs like Mumbai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.Maps

The modern terminal can accommodate approximately 180 passengers at a time and is designed to enhance regional integration, ease of travel, and passenger comfort. This project aligns with the central government’s broader initiative to upgrade transport infrastructure across smaller cities and Union Territories.

The airport inauguration kicked off PM Modi’s wider visit to Daman, during which he will launch and lay foundation stones for a massive suite of development projects valued at approximately Rs 2,970 crore. These initiatives span critical sectors, including healthcare, public welfare, tourism, and infrastructure.

06/06/2026 Indian Awaaz

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Airport Lounge Access Gets Harder To Unlock For Indian Credit Card Users

Airport lounge access has long been one of the most valued perks of holding a premium credit card in India. But over the past year, banks have been steadily pulling back on how easily cardholders can use this benefit.

The shift is now more visible than ever, with multiple lenders introducing spend-based conditions that require cardholders to cross a quarterly expenditure threshold before they can walk into a lounge.

Starting July 1, 2026, HDFC Bank Regalia Gold credit card users must meet a new quarterly spending threshold to retain complimentary domestic airport lounge access. To access lounges between July and September, a customer must spend Rs 60,000 between April and June 2026. Lounge eligibility will reset every quarter based on spending in the immediately preceding quarter.

Regalia Gold cardholders will get three domestic lounge visits per quarter, only if they spend at least Rs 60,000 in the previous quarter. The six international lounge visits per year via Priority Pass remain unchanged with no spend requirement.

HDFC Bank is not alone. Several card issuers, including ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and State Bank of India (SBI), have already introduced similar spending conditions on select cards.

SBI Card introduced a revised domestic lounge access programme from January 2026 that separates participating lounges into Set A and Set B, depending on the type of SBI credit card held.

Axis Bank removed lounge access from its Airtel co-branded card from April 2026, with other cards shifting to spend-based models. Most eligible Axis Bank credit card users need to have at least Rs 50,000 worth of transactions in the last three calendar months to access domestic lounges for free.

The changes have gone further for debit card users. According to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) revised guidelines, RuPay Platinum debit cardholders no longer receive complimentary access to airport lounges, both domestic and international, and railway lounges starting April 1, 2026.

06/06/2026 Priyanka Debnath/Outlook Money

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Hydroponic marijuana worth rs 10.39 crore seized at Lucknow airport

Lucknow: Customs officials at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow have arrested an Indian passenger and seized suspected hydroponic marijuana worth about Rs 10.39 crore from his baggage, officials said on Saturday.

The seizure was made by officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs following specific intelligence inputs and further analysis, an official statement issued on Friday said.

The passenger arrived at the Lucknow airport on Oman Air flight WY-265 from Bangkok via Muscat. Acting on the intelligence, customs officials intercepted him at the Green Channel and subjected his personal belongings and baggage to X-ray screening and examination.

During the search of his trolley bag, officials recovered 13 polythene packets containing a green-coloured substance suspected to be ganja (marijuana), specifically hydroponic weed. The net weight of the seized substance was found to be 10.397 kilograms.

The statement said a diagnostic test conducted on the recovered material prima facie indicated that it was ganja or hydroponic marijuana. The estimated value of the contraband has been assessed at approximately Rs 10.39 crore.

Customs officials said the passenger was found to be in violation of provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Act relating to possession and smuggling of narcotic substances.

06/06/2026 PTI/Print

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Devendra Fadnavis unveils Shivaji Maharaj statue at Navi Mumbai airport

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Navi Mumbai international airport, marking the Shivrajyabhishek Din or the coronation day of the Maratha king.

"I am confident that every passenger arriving at or departing from this international airport will draw inspiration and energy from Maharaj's image, statue and memorial," Fadnavis said.

The 20-foot bronze equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has been installed at the airport, which became operational last December.

Calling the Coronation Day a sacred occasion, the chief minister said it marked the global acceptance of Hindvi Swarajya.

The chief minister said he had earlier suggested the installation of the statue at the airport because it is located in Raigad district, which houses Raigad Fort, the capital of the Swarajya.

He expressed satisfaction that the monument was completed within eight months and congratulated Adani Airport Holdings Ltd and CIDCO for executing the project.

06/06/2026 PTI/Awaz the Voice

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IGIA handled nearly 19 lakh transfer flyers in May

NEW DELHI: The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) handled approximately 19 lakh transfer passengers out of an overall traffic of 71.4 lakh passengers last month, accounting for 27% of the total air traffic. This translates into an average of 56,000 transfer passengers per day, with domestic transfers emerging as the largest contributor, the airport said.

A release from the airport operator, GMR Airports Ltd, said the surge in this category of flyers marks a big rise from April, when transfer passenger traffic stood at 15.4 lakh, accounting for 23% of the month’s total traffic. “This upward trend is even more pronounced on a year-on-year basis, with the share of transfer passengers rising from around 20% in May 2025 to 27% in May 2026,” it said.

“Domestic-to-Domestic (D-D) transfers continue to be the largest contributor, accounting for 61% of total transfer traffic, underscoring the Delhi airport’s critical role in connecting metropolitan cities with emerging economic centres, tourism destinations and regions across the country,” the release said. Popular transfer routes include Pune–Delhi–Srinagar, Srinagar–Delhi–Pune and Kolkata–Delhi–Srinagar.

The IGIA is also witnessing strong growth in international transfer traffic, with key transit flows on routes such as Ahmedabad–Delhi–Toronto, Phuket–Delhi–London Heathrow, Dubai–Delhi–Patna and Kathmandu–Delhi–Tokyo. “This highlights the airport’s increasing importance as a strategic gateway linking South Asia with major destinations across North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region,” the airport said. The airport’s hub ecosystem is further strengthened by its leading airline partners, with IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express accounting for a substantial share of transfer traffic through Delhi.

06/06/2026 S Lalitha/New Indian Express

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