Three incoming flights, including an international service, were diverted or returned to their originating destinations after suspected drone activity was reported near Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport late on Sunday night. The incident prompted airport authorities to temporarily halt flight operations as a precautionary measure, disrupting travel plans and leaving several passengers stranded. Security personnel reportedly spotted two to three drones in the airspace surrounding the airport at approximately 9.30 pm, triggering an immediate response from the airport's security apparatus. The incident has renewed concerns about the potential impact of unauthorised drone activity on aviation safety and flight operations in the border state of Punjab.

According to sources, personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for security at the airport, noticed the suspected drones flying in the surrounding airspace. They subsequently alerted the control room, following which security arrangements were reviewed and precautionary measures were initiated. Flight operations were halted while officials assessed the situation and responded to the reported sightings. The decision to suspend operations temporarily was aimed at addressing potential security risks and ensuring the safety of aircraft, passengers and airport personnel. 

Three flights scheduled to arrive in Amritsar were affected by the disruption. Air India flight AI-855, which was arriving from Delhi, was sent back to the national capital. IndiGo flight 6E-5028, operating from Mumbai, was diverted to Chandigarh, while Malaysia Airlines flight MH-118, arriving from Kuala Lumpur, was diverted to Delhi. The diversions affected both domestic and international air travel, forcing passengers to adjust their plans while airport authorities dealt with the reported security concern. The international service from Kuala Lumpur was among the affected flights, highlighting how a local disruption around an airport can have consequences for passengers travelling on different routes. 

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Amritsar Airport Director Anirudh Kumar Sharma confirmed that security personnel had reported drone activity near the airport. He said the diversions were undertaken as a precautionary measure in response to the reported sightings. According to Sharma, the situation had returned to normal after 10.30 pm, following which the inconvenience caused to passengers was managed. The restoration of normal operations brought the immediate disruption under control, although the incident raised questions about the circumstances that led to the reported drone activity.

Airport authorities must assess such reports carefully because unidentified aerial objects near operational runways or flight paths can create potential hazards for arriving and departing aircraft. The decision to divert flights can also have wider operational implications, including changes to aircraft schedules, connecting journeys and passenger arrangements. In this case, officials described the response as precautionary, and no further details about any damage or injuries were provided.

The disruption also affected passengers travelling through Chandigarh, where IndiGo flight 6E-5028 was diverted after being unable to continue directly to Amritsar. An official at Chandigarh International Airport confirmed that the aircraft landed in Chandigarh at approximately 10.30 pm. The flight subsequently departed for Amritsar at 11.25 pm, according to the official. The diversion temporarily altered the flight's planned journey, requiring the aircraft to land at an alternative airport before continuing towards its intended destination.

For passengers, such changes can result in uncertainty over arrival times and onward travel arrangements, particularly when services are diverted at short notice. Although the flight resumed its journey later that night. The incident illustrates the operational coordination required between airports and airlines when a security alert affects scheduled air traffic.

The latest report comes less than a month after similar drone activity near Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport affected seven flights. The recurrence of such incidents has brought renewed attention to the challenges posed by suspected drone sightings in the vicinity of airports. Unauthorised drones can pose safety concerns because aircraft operating at low altitudes during take-off and landing may have limited options for avoiding unexpected objects in their flight paths. Even when a potential threat has not been conclusively established, airport authorities may need to restrict operations temporarily while security personnel investigate.

Amritsar's location in Punjab, a border state, adds to the importance of monitoring security developments in the surrounding region, although the available information does not establish any connection between the latest sightings and a wider security incident. Authorities are investigating the reported drone activity and the circumstances surrounding the flight diversions. Further information about the investigation, the source of the suspected drones and any measures planned to prevent similar disruptions had not been disclosed at the time of reporting.

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