Akasa Air Flight Hits Bird Mid-Air, Lands Safely in Delhi; Safety Checks Underway
Akasa Air flight safely lands in Delhi after mid-air bird strike incident.
An Akasa Air Boeing 737 Max 8 flight carrying over 200 passengers from Pune to Delhi experienced a bird strike but landed safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The incident occurred around 10 a.m., shortly after the flight departed Pune at 7:50 a.m. According to an official statement from Akasa Air, “The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew members were deplaned.”
The airline is now conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft in line with standard operating procedures, and it will resume service only after clearance from the engineering team. A replacement aircraft is being arranged to ensure the flight’s onward journey from Delhi.
The incident adds to the growing concern over bird and animal strikes at Indian airports, particularly at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, which has consistently reported the highest number of such incidents. Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) indicates over 2,000 bird and animal strikes annually across 20 major Indian airports since 2023. Delhi alone recorded 442 strikes in 2022, 616 in 2023, 419 in 2024, and 95 in the first half of 2025, underscoring the ongoing challenge of wildlife management in aviation.
Akasa Air’s swift response ensured passenger safety and minimal disruption, but the incident highlights the need for enhanced measures to mitigate bird strikes, especially at high-traffic hubs like Delhi. As inspections continue, the airline remains focused on maintaining safety standards while addressing operational challenges posed by such events.
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