An flight operating from Agartala to Delhi was diverted to Lucknow’s Chowdhury Charan Singh Airport on Tuesday (September 15) after a smoke warning was received in the aircraft’s cargo area, PTI reported, citing official statement.
IndiGo flight 6E6504 landed safely at Lucknow Airport at 6:29 pm, carrying 103 passengers and six crew members, airport authorities said, as per the news agency. No untoward incident was reported.
Earlier this month, an Air India Express flight travelling from Varanasi to Delhi was diverted to Lucknow as a precaution after a smoke detection alarm in the aircraft’s cargo hold was triggered.
Flight IX 1253, carrying 155 passengers, departed from Varanasi at around 8 am on September 3. Soon after -off, the cargo hold smoke alarm was activated, following which the pilot alerted Lucknow Air Traffic Control and requested permission to make an emergency landing.
The aircraft touched down safely at Lucknow airport at 8:52 am. Emergency response teams, including airport personnel, fire officials and technical experts, immediately reached the aircraft. All passengers and crew members were deboarded by 9:02 am, according to sources.
No smoke or fire detected during initial checks
Initial inspections of the aircraft did not reveal any signs of smoke or fire. The aircraft was later taken to a hangar for a detailed technical examination, while an investigation was launched to establish the reason behind the alarm.
An Air India Express spokesperson said the crew decided to divert the aircraft to Lucknow as a safety measure after a technical issue was detected.
The airline said passenger safety remained the and that refreshments were provided to those on board. It also said arrangements were being made on priority to provide an alternate aircraft to the passengers to Delhi.
In another incident reported on Sunday, an Air India flight AI1886 operating from Bhopal to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur due to a technical issue.
“Flight AI1886 operating from Bhopal to Delhi on 13 September was diverted to Jaipur due to a technical issue as per laid-down procedures. The aircraft landed safely at Jaipur and was undergoing checks in line with Air India’s safety standards,” Air India had said.
The airline regretted the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the situation and said efforts were being made to fly them to their destination at the earliest.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
