Pune airport resumes operations hours after Indian Air Force fighter jet makes ‘hard landing’ – what went wrong?

New Delhi: Maintenance work at the Pune airport has been completed on “combat readiness” and flight operations have resumed after an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft.Federal Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol posted on X social media that the repair work of the Pune Airport runway has been completed and air traffic is expected to gradually return to normal.“Following an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft, the runway at Pune Airport was temporarily unusable. Runway repair work has been completed on a war footing and safety has always been the top priority from beginning to end,” Mahor said.“Departure flights will resume from 07:30 am and arriving flights from 08:00 am. Air traffic in Pune is expected to gradually return to normal throughout the day,” he added.Airlines issue advisoryAccording to the airport director, 31 incoming flights and 34 departing flights of IndiGo, 3 incoming and 3 departing flights of Air India, 3 departing flights of SpiceJet, 2 incoming and 3 departing flights of Alkasa Air and 5 incoming and 5 departing flights of Air India were cancelled.IndiGo issued an advisory asking passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport.“We understand the inconvenience caused due to the continued unavailability of the Pune airport runway and deeply regret the impact this may have on your travel plans. This situation is beyond our control and we are working closely with the relevant authorities to contain the impact,” the airline said in a social media post.We will proactively notify customers of their registered contact information and the latest information on their reservations. We also recommend checking your flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is affected, you can choose an alternative flight or opt for a full refund via Plan B. “Defense Ministry sources said the incident involved Sukhoi 30 Mki aircraftHowever, the Indian Air Force has not confirmed the model of the aircraft.Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke said: “A fighter jet experienced landing gear malfunction after a hard landing around 10.25 pm, leading to runway blockage.”“It is currently located in the middle of the runway. Efforts are on to move it to the taxiway. According to the Indian Air Force air traffic control, it will take 4 to 5 hours to clear the runway as cranes and heavy machinery have been deployed,” he added.