Phuket-bound GoAir flight returns to KIA over technical glitch

A technical glitch forced a Phuket-bound GoAir flight with 173 passengers on board to return to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here early Friday morning. On a precationary air turn, the flight landed at 2.15 am.

The flight (G8 041) landed safely at the city airport. A GoAir spokesperson said the aircraft was changed and all the passengers were accommodated in the alternate flight that departed KIA at 10.44 am. The flight was originally scheduled to land in Phuket at 7.45 am. The alternate flight landed at 3 pm.

GoAir has been in the news for the wrong reasons at KIA. On November 11, its flight with 180 passengers had veered off the runway into the grass pitch while attempting to land. The aircraft was directed by the Air Traffic Control (ATC) to do a quick go-around due to fog-linked poor visibility issues.

The Airbus A-320 aircraft (G8-811D) was eventually diverted to Hyderabad. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had subsequently ordered an inquiry when it found mud deposits on the aircraft wheels.

Fog delays at KIA

Meanwhile, 80 flights were disrupted at the KIA due to dense fog on Friday morning. The flight operations were suspended for a short duration at 5.45 am, according to a Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) spokesperson.

The departures of as many as 60 flights and 17 arrivals were delayed. Three flights -- one SpiceJet, one Air Asia and a Blue Dart cargo flight -- were diverted to Chennai.