Pune Airport Closed, Flights Diverted; Indigo Issues Advisory

Operations at Pune airport were disrupted on the night of April 17, 2026, after an Indian Air Force fighter aircraft was involved in an incident during a routine night sortie, making the single runway temporarily unusable and forcing the suspension of both incoming and outgoing commercial flights while recovery and safety checks were carried out.

The Indian Air Force said that the aircraft made a hard landing, after which the aircrew escaped without injury and no civil infrastructure was harmed, but the runway had to be blocked, affecting scheduled passenger services until teams could restore safe operations for all flights.

Pune airport runway incident and disruption details

Airport officials and police sources indicated that the fighter may have suffered an undercarriage failure when it touched down, which left the aircraft stranded on the runway and prevented other aircraft from using the strip until specialised personnel could move it and inspect the surface for any possible damage or debris.

Authorities at Pune International Airport stated that the incident occurred at approximately 10.25 pm, after which air traffic controllers immediately halted all aircraft movements as a precaution, bringing the airport’s dual-use operations, which combine civilian flights with an active Air Force station at Lohegaon, to a complete standstill.

Pune airport runway safety efforts and official statements

In its statement, the Air Force confirmed that the occurrence took place during a standard night flying mission and stressed that the aircrew were safe, adding, "Pune runway is temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an IAF aircraft. The aircrew are safe and there is no damage to civil property. Efforts are underway to operationalise the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest," while technical details were still awaited.

Officials from the Air Force Air Traffic Control estimated that clearance and inspection work on the affected Pune airport runway would likely require four to six hours, during which airlines were told to adjust schedules, hold departing flights, or divert arrivals, with passenger itineraries getting reshuffled across late-night and early-morning services.

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the situation and said that passenger safety had not been compromised, noting that aviation authorities and the Air Force were working together so that the Pune airport runway could be cleared at the earliest and commercial operations could restart without unnecessary delay.

Pune airport runway closure and IndiGo advisory

Efforts through the night focused on removing the fighter from the Pune airport runway and carrying out detailed safety compliance checks, with airport staff and Indian Air Force personnel coordinating recovery vehicles, inspections, and paperwork so that flight movements could resume once regulators were satisfied that the runway surface met required standards.

INDIGO ISSUES ADVISORY

IndiGo issued a travel advisory following the temporary closure of Pune airport's runway, warning that several flights to and from the city may be affected.Travel AdvisoryDue to the unavailability of the runway at Pune airport, some flights to and from Pune may be impacted.We understand this may affect your travel plans, and we're here to support you every step of the way. We recommend checking your flight status before— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) April 17, 2026.

In a statement on social media, IndiGo told passengers to verify flight status before leaving home, and advised affected customers that they could either shift to alternative flights or seek a full refund through the airline’s Plan B option, while the carrier’s airport teams and call centres continued to contact travellers proactively.

Further updates on the Pune airport runway status are expected once the damaged aircraft is fully removed, detailed inspections are finished and regulators clear the surface for use, after which normal commercial schedules can be restored and airlines can rework their operations based on the final reopening time shared by authorities.