Lucknow: An Indigo flight (6E 2056) from Delhi to Kanpur was forced to make an emergency landing at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport on Tuesday after not receiving clearance to land in Kanpur. The aircraft circled the Kanpur Airport for about 10 minutes before the pilot notified air traffic control (ATC) of low fuel.
The plane reached Kanpur around 2 p.m., but ATC did not grant landing permission. After several circuits, the pilot reported low fuel and requested immediate clearance to land. ATC then directed the plane to Lucknow, where it landed safely at 2:20 p.m. After refueling and a brief wait, the aircraft proceeded to Kanpur, departing Lucknow at 2:35 p.m.
Airport officials praised the pilot’s quick decision-making, which averted a potential emergency. “Thanks to the pilot’s timely communication, a serious incident was prevented,” said an airport spokesperson. All passengers remained on board during the entire sequence.
If a flight is not given clearance to take off or land in India, it could be due to a number of reasons. If a flight takes off without the required ATC clearance, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will investigate and take action. The airspace around many Indian Air Force and Defence bases maybe restricted. Failure to submit the required documents for clearance to enter or depart India is also one of the common reasons.
