Leh Airport: Many Flights Cancelled as IAF's C-17 Globemaster Stuck on Runway

May 16, 2023

LEH: Several passengers were stuck at the Leh airport on Tuesday after the runway was blocked by the Indian Air Force's heavy-lifter C-17 Globemaster that faced technical issues.

Officials said that the repair work will go on the entire day.

The technical issues led to shutting of the Leh airport for operation, leading to flight diversions and cancellations. Some passengers and airlines took to Twitter.

While Vistara said its flight UK601 from Delhi to Leh (DEL-IXL) was returning to Delhi airport, IndiGo, cancelling all its flights to the airport, said that they were trying to assist the passengers in "best possible manner".

A report in Hindustan Times quoted officials familiar with the matter as saying, "Leh airport is currently non-operational as runway blocked by IAF C-17 heavy-lifter facing technical issue. Work on to clear runway is in process." Domestic airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Vistara operate 11 flights to Leh every day.

The report stated that Air India, which operates two daily flights to Leh, diverted one of them to Srinagar and cancelled the second flight after a notice to airmen (NOTAM) was issued. Meanwhile, SpiceJet cancelled two of its three daily flights to/from Leh.

The report stated that Flightradar24, a Swedish internet-based service that shows real-time aircraft flight tracking information, also said all flight arrivals into the airport have been cancelled.