SRINAGAR: A Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight made a precautionary return to Pune shortly after take-off following a technical snag, the airline confirmed, according to multiple media reports.
The crew of flight SG937, which departed around 40 minutes behind schedule at 6 a.m., observed the flap transit light illuminated during climb. In line with standard operating procedures, the pilots decided to turn back. SpiceJet stressed that the aircraft did not land under emergency conditions, reports NDTV.
“The flight landed safely and passengers disembarked normally. Those affected are being rebooked on alternate flights or offered full refunds,” a spokesperson said. The service had been scheduled to arrive in Delhi at 8.10 a.m., according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
The incident comes amid a series of technical issues reported by the airline in recent months. On 29 August, a Srinagar-bound flight with 205 passengers and seven crew members on board was forced to make an emergency landing due to a pressurisation problem. Earlier in June, a Hyderabad–Tirupati service carrying 80 passengers returned shortly after take-off when the rear baggage door light illuminated intermittently.
According to figures from the Ministry of State for Civil Aviation, 5,706 flights across Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air and Alliance Air, were cancelled between January and June this year owing to regulatory and geopolitical factors, representing about 1 per cent of total scheduled departures.
