What happened
Indian regulators (DGCA) have suspended an Air India pilot and an air traffic controller following an airspace infringement incident on June 22, 2026. Air India flight AI479 (Delhi to Amritsar) was placed in a holding pattern near Amritsar (ATQ) due to a runway inspection after a bird strike. While in the holding pattern, the Airbus A321 briefly entered Pakistani airspace by approximately three miles. This occurred despite Pakistani airspace being closed to Indian airlines for over a year. The infringement was coordinated with Pakistani air traffic controllers in Lahore. The primary regulatory issue cited was the failure of both the pilot and the controller to file a formal incident report after the event. The flight eventually returned to Delhi due to low fuel, landing over two hours after departure