An Air India Express aircraft made a hard landing at Phuket International Airport on Wednesday, damaging its landing gear and forcing authorities to temporarily close the runway, disrupting incoming flights.
The incident occurred around noon on March 11 when a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating the Hyderabad–Phuket route experienced a problem during landing. The aircraft, registered VT-BWQ, reportedly had a wheel detach after touching down, which is believed to have been caused by the hard landing.
Initial inspections indicated that the nose landing gear was damaged, preventing the aircraft from being moved off the runway immediately. The flight had seven crew members, 131 passengers, and two infants on board. All passengers were safely disembarked and taken to the terminal waiting area, and no injuries were reported.
Airline statement
A spokesperson for Air India Express confirmed the issue, stating that the aircraft experienced a nose wheel problem after landing at Phuket Airport.
“We confirm that our Hyderabad–Phuket flight on 11 March experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport. The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were safely deplaned. We thank our guests, the Phuket airport authorities, and all stakeholders for their cooperation,” the airline said in a statement.
Runway closure and flight disruptions
Following the incident, Phuket International Airport issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) from 12:08 pm to 6 pm, temporarily closing the runway. Flights scheduled to land were instructed to hold in nearby airspace, while some were diverted to alternate airports.
Airport authorities began inspecting the runway and coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure safety protocols were followed before resuming operations. The removal of the aircraft and safety inspections were initially expected to take around six hours.
The affected flight, AXB938, had arrived ahead of schedule at 11:24 am, with its planned landing time set for 11:40 am. Authorities continued to assess the situation and work toward restoring normal operations.
