New Delhi: A major mishap was narrowly averted on Wednesday morning after an Air India Express flight from Singapore aborted its landing just 200 feet above Chennai International Airport. There were 180 passengers on board at the time of the incident.
Flight IX-535, scheduled to land at 10.15am, encountered an unstable approach combined with strong crosswinds as it neared the runway at the St Thomas Mount end. The pilots, recognising the deteriorating conditions, made the critical decision to execute a go-around – a manoeuvre where the aircraft climbs away from the runway to attempt a safer landing.
Plane circled airport for 30 minutes
The plane ascended and circled the airport for approximately 30 minutes before successfully landing on its second approach, a Times of India report mentioned. No injuries were reported, and all passengers and crew remained safe throughout the incident.
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Officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed the aborted landing, citing an “unstabilised approach”. The TOI report quoted a source, “Safe landing depends on a controlled descent rate, accurate speed, and precise alignment with the runway. In this case, the aircraft’s descent was too steep, and sudden shifts in wind speed created unsafe conditions.”
Chennai airport’s recent landing challenges
The incident has raised fresh concerns over Chennai airport’s recent landing challenges. Last October, an IndiGo flight from Jaipur was forced to perform a touch-and-go due to similar crosswinds and alignment issues. Also, a Mumbai-Chennai flight suffered tail damage during landing in March 2025.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to investigate the incident thoroughly, seeking detailed reports from Air India Express and the air traffic control team on duty.
