Bengaluru, India: A Fly91 passenger flight operating from Hyderabad to Hubballi was diverted to Bengaluru on Sunday evening after adverse weather conditions over north Karnataka made landing at Hubballi airport unsafe.
The aircraft, which had departed Hyderabad in the afternoon, was unable to complete its approach due to poor visibility and intense weather activity in the region, leading to an extended holding pattern for 3 hrs before the crew decided to divert as a precautionary measure resulting in an operational delay of around 2.5 to 3 hours.
According to airline confirmation, the flight was scheduled to land in Hubballi around 4:30 pm but encountered deteriorating weather conditions during descent.
The aircraft reportedly circled the Hubballi airspace for an extended period as pilots assessed landing feasibility. When conditions failed to improve, the crew diverted the flight to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, where it landed safely.
Passengers onboard experienced significant anxiety during the prolonged airborne phase, with reports and visual accounts suggesting distress inside the cabin as the aircraft continued holding over the region.
Some passengers reportedly expressed concern over the extended circling, while cabin crew maintained communication and reassured passengers throughout the flight. Despite the tense situation, no medical emergencies or injuries were reported. All 22 passengers were reported safe.
Fly91, in its official statement, categorically denied any technical malfunction and clarified that the diversion was carried out strictly due to weather-related safety concerns.
The airline stated that the decision to hold and subsequently divert the aircraft was in line with standard operating procedures and aviation safety norms. It emphasized that the aircraft was fully serviceable and that the crew followed all regulatory guidelines issued for operations under adverse weather conditions.
After diverting to Bengaluru, the aircraft landed safely and was later repositioned once weather conditions over Hubballi improved. The flight subsequently continued operations, ensuring passengers reached their destination. Officials reiterated that the safety of passengers remained the highest priority throughout the incident and that all procedures followed were in accordance with aviation safety protocols.
