Ahmedabad: An Akasa Air flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad was diverted to Jaipur on Tuesday morning after the aircraft made two unsuccessful landing attempts at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport, airport officials said.Flight QP1718, which departed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai at 8.42am, arrived over Ahmedabad according to schedule and initiated its descent, according to sources. “However, the aircraft was unable to land safely owing to unstable wind conditions near the runway, forcing the pilots to abort the approach twice,” a source privy to the development said. “The pilots followed standard operating procedures and executed a go-around on both occasions to maintain flight safety.“With each aborted approach consuming additional fuel, the crew assessed that continuing to attempt a landing at Ahmedabad could result in a low-fuel situation. The decision was therefore taken to divert the aircraft to the nearest suitable airport with refuelling facilities, which in this case was Jaipur, sources said.“The diversion was purely a safety-driven call. After two unstable approaches, the captain opted to divert to Jaipur to ensure adequate fuel margins and avoid any operational risk,” the source added.The aircraft landed safely at Jaipur, where it was refuelled before resuming its journey to Ahmedabad. The flight subsequently took off from Jaipur and landed at SVPI Airport at around 1.40pm, nearly four hours behind its scheduled arrival time.All passengers remained on board during the diversion and refuelling, and no medical or security issues were reported, sources said.In a statement, an Akasa Air spokesperson said, “Akasa Air flight QP1781, operating from Mumbai to Ahmedabad on January 13, 2026, discontinued its approach as the landing did not meet prescribed safety standards. The crew therefore diverted the flight to Jaipur as per standard operating procedures. The aircraft later departed Jaipur and landed safely in Ahmedabad at 1.47pm. At Akasa Air, we follow world-class safety standards and the wellbeing of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate our passengers’ understanding.”Operations at Ahmedabad airport were otherwise normal through the morning, and no other flights were diverted or cancelled due to weather, officials said.Passengers on QP1718 were accommodated and deplaned normally after the aircraft landed back in Ahmedabad, bringing the incident to a close without any injuries or damage.
