Kamal Ghorui
HYDERABAD: A Fly91 flight operating from Hyderabad to Hubballi was diverted to Bengaluru on Sunday after adverse weather conditions prevented it from landing, airport officials said. All 22 passengers on board were reported safe.The incident led to panic among passengers, with the aircraft remaining airborne for around three hours. Some passengers were seen in distress during the flight.
‘Diverted due to bad weather’
“Due to bad weather, the flight from Hyderabad to Hubballi was diverted to Bengaluru,” an airport official said, adding that such diversions are a standard safety measure.The flight had departed Hyderabad at around 3.30 pm and was scheduled to land in Hubballi at about 4.30 pm, but was unable to do so due to unfavourable weather conditions, sources said.
Aircraft circled Hubballi before diversion
According to officials, the aircraft initially hovered over Hubballi for nearly an hour while pilots waited for weather conditions to improve.“This is general practice. Aircraft circle in the air for some time waiting for the weather to improve. It is the pilot’s decision,” the official said.During this period, some passengers reportedly became anxious, with a few in tears and praying for safety as the aircraft remained airborne.
Safe landing in Bengaluru, later return to Hubballi
The aircraft eventually landed in Bengaluru at around 6.30 pm. It later operated back to Hubballi at about 11 pm after weather conditions improved, officials said.Sources confirmed that there were 22 passengers on board the flight.
Weather disruptions affect regional flights
Officials also pointed to similar weather-related disruptions in the region, noting that a separate flight from Mumbai to Kolhapur was diverted to Goa due to adverse conditions.Aviation authorities said such diversions are routine during poor visibility or unstable weather, prioritising passenger safety over schedule adherence.
Fly91 issues statement
In a statement, FLY91 said the flight departed from Hyderabad at 3 pm. On nearing Hubballi, the flight encountered bad weather due to which the flight was diverted to Bengaluru as per standard protocol.The flight subsequently returned to Hubballi and back to its home base in Hyderabad, the statement said.Fly91 said there was zero compromise to safety. Holding the aircraft over Hubballi and diverting to Bengaluru was part of the standard operating procedure. This is among the best practices adopted by the industry.“FLY91 has a highly skilled team of pilots, cabin crew and ground staff which are trained to manage any situation which may come up. The regional airline has an impeccable safety record,” it added.The airlines company said the flight IC3401 flying from Hyderabad to Hubballi did not develop any technical snag as is being reported in some sections of the media.
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“Information in some news reports pointing to a technical issue faced by the aircraft is false and baseless,” the statement read.
