IAF jet snag on Pune airport runway affects 16 flights

The runway of the Lohegaon Airport in Pune was shut for over two hours Monday after an Indian Air Force fighter jet developed a snag and got stalled, affecting 16 flights, officials said.

The Lohegaon airport runway is used by the IAF as well as civil aircraft for commercial flights.

According to a statement by airport authorities, the fighter jet stalled due to a technical snag at 11:20 am and was removed from the runway at 1:30pm, during which the runway remained closed for operations.

However, there was no cancellation of flights during the period, the authorities added.

Six departures were delayed, three arrivals were diverted -- two to Mumbai and one to Hyderabad -- and two arrivals were late and landed after the runway operations resumed, the officials said.

The departures of the three diverted flights and the two which arrived late were also affected, making it 16 flights in total, an official explained.