Near-miss over the border: How an Air India flight drifted into Pakistan’s restricted airspace

A routine Delhi-Amritsar flight turned into a serious security incident after a navigation error led the aircraft into hostile airspace during a high-tension period.

The night of June 22 was meant to be a routine commute for passengers aboard Air India flight AI479. However, as the Airbus A321 neared Amritsar, a bird strike on the runway forced the Air Traffic Control (ATC) to order a "go-around" for safety. During this critical maneuver, the aircraft veered off its designated path, briefly entering Pakistani airspace—a serious breach given the current geopolitical climate.

The mechanics of the breach

While the flight was under radar vectoring, a combination of heavy air traffic and a reported navigation system glitch caused the aircraft to cross the border. The incident was flagged almost immediately by Pakistani ATC, who issued a warning to the cockpit. The crew acted swiftly, turning the plane back toward Indian territory. The flight was subsequently diverted to Delhi for a thorough safety inspection before eventually landing in Amritsar in the early hours of the morning.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that the incident was coordinated with Pakistani authorities, preventing any escalation. However, the regulatory response has been firm; internal investigations are underway, and the Indian aviation watchdog has initiated action against the operating crew and the Amritsar-based ATC personnel for the lapse in communication and trajectory management.

Why it matters: The bigger picture

This incident is not merely a technical error; it highlights the heightened sensitivity of the India-Pakistan border. Since the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April 2025, the sky above the border has become a no-fly zone for commercial and military aircraft of both nations. With Pakistan repeatedly extending its NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) to block Indian-registered carriers, the airspace has effectively become a pressure cooker.

For the aviation sector, the cost of this geopolitical standoff is staggering. Major carriers, including Air India, have reported a cumulative loss of roughly ₹4,000 crore due to the closure of direct northern flight paths. Rerouting flights over the Arabian Sea to reach Europe and North America has increased fuel consumption, crew costs, and travel time by up to 90 minutes per flight.

A volatile corridor

The proximity of the Amritsar airport to the border makes it a high-risk zone for navigational errors. While global aviation protocols occasionally allow for emergency entries—such as the recent exceptions granted to Pakistani carriers like Fly Jinnah—these are rare and highly scrutinized.

As the DGCA prepares for upcoming safety reviews by international bodies like the US FAA, incidents like this put additional pressure on India’s regulatory framework. The incident serves as a stark reminder that in the current climate, even a minor technical glitch can transform a standard domestic flight into a cross-border diplomatic headache.