Air India Express Flight Executes Go-Around at Pune After Rough Landing

An Air India Express flight performed a go-around at Pune’s Lohegaon Airport after experiencing a rough touchdown, according to passenger accounts. The flight, operating as IX-1245 from Indore, was carrying approximately 160 passengers when the crew aborted the initial landing attempt. The aircraft subsequently circled for around 25 minutes before returning to execute a safe landing.

The incident highlights standard aviation safety procedures and recurring operational challenges at Pune Airport. While go-arounds are a routine and critical safety maneuver, passenger reports of an unusually rough initial landing and a lack of in-flight communication have drawn attention to the event. Air India Express had not issued an official statement regarding the cause of the aborted landing at the time of initial reports.

Incident Details

Flight IX-1245 departed from Indore approximately 30 minutes behind schedule and approached Pune around 5:00 PM local time. Passengers reported that the initial touchdown was exceptionally forceful, prompting the pilots to immediately apply full throttle and climb away from the runway. This maneuver, known as a go-around, is a standard procedure initiated when the flight crew determines that a safe landing cannot be completed.

After initiating the go-around, the aircraft remained airborne for an estimated 20-25 minutes. During this period, it is understood the flight crew prepared for a second approach. The aircraft landed without further incident at approximately 5:35 PM. According to passenger reports, there was no communication from the flight deck or cabin crew explaining the situation during the go-around. Refreshment services were also reportedly suspended until after the aircraft was on the ground.

Operational Context: Go-Around and Landing Procedures

A go-around is a deliberate decision by a pilot to abort a landing approach. It is not inherently an emergency but rather a prudent action taken to ensure safety. It can be initiated for numerous reasons, including an unstable approach, instructions from Air Traffic Control (ATC), adverse weather conditions like wind shear, or an obstructed runway.

The passenger’s description of a “rough” or “scary” landing could refer to several phenomena. Aviation experts distinguish between a 'hard landing' and a 'firm landing'. A hard landing is one where the aircraft's vertical speed at touchdown exceeds the manufacturer's specified limits, potentially requiring a structural inspection for damage before the aircraft can be cleared for its next flight. A firm landing, conversely, is often an intentional technique used by pilots on wet or contaminated runways to ensure the tires make positive contact with the surface and break through any layer of water, thus preventing hydroplaning. Without official data from the flight data recorder, the precise nature of the touchdown remains unconfirmed.

Recurring Challenges at Pune Airport

Pune’s Lohegaon Airport has a history of incidents involving aborted landings. This event follows at least two other recent go-arounds involving the same airline at this airport. In December 2025, a Delhi-Pune Air India Express flight aborted its landing due to adverse weather conditions. More notably, in June 2025, another flight from Bhubaneswar with 150 passengers had to execute a last-moment go-around due to the presence of stray dogs on the runway.

Runway incursions by animals are a persistent safety concern at Pune. The airport operates as a civil enclave at an Indian Air Force (IAF) airbase, where the IAF manages the runway and ATC services. The civil infrastructure is managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Reports have previously cited garbage dumps in the vicinity of the airport as a factor attracting birds and stray animals, posing a direct risk to aircraft during critical phases of flight like takeoff and landing.

Why This Matters

This incident underscores the critical importance of pilot authority in executing standard safety procedures like a go-around when approach parameters are not met. It also brings into focus the challenges of passenger communication during non-standard flight operations. For Pune Airport, the event adds to a growing body of evidence highlighting the need for enhanced measures to mitigate runway safety risks, particularly those related to animal incursions, to ensure the integrity of flight operations.

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