New Delhi:
An Air India and IndiGo flight came face to face briefly on the taxiway at Ahmedabad airport this evening. Both planes, though, stopped while at a safe distance.
Sources said the Air India aircraft registered VT TQV an A320 Neo with 164 passengers on board, had landed and was on way to a bay. The IndiGo flight was taxiing to take off when they came face to face at 7.59 pm.
The Air India Aircraft was subsequently towed away at 8.18pm. The Indigo flight was delayed by 20 minutes.
A spokesperson from IndiGo said the Ahmedabad-Mumbai flight 6E 5160 was “briefly delayed while taxiing out for departure after an aircraft of another airline inadvertently took an incorrect turn and came in the way of our aircraft”.
“Both aircraft came to a halt at a safe distance from each other. The other aircraft was subsequently towed away and our flight departed and landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai,” the spokesperson said.
In line with established protocols, the relevant authorities were immediately informed, the spokesperson added.
Air India admitted that its flight had “inadvertently taken a wrong turn”.
In a statement, the airline said, “We are aware of an incident where our flight AI2493 operating from Mumbai to Ahmedabad on 24 June after landing inadvertently took a wrong turn during taxiing”.
“There was no compromise on the safety of passengers and crew. The aircraft was subsequently towed back to the parking bay. The matter has been reported to the regulatory authorities and an investigation initiated,” the statement added.
