{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Drone Activity Near Amritsar Airport Prompts Immediate Flight Diversions and Safety Protocols",
  "summary": "Three commercial flights were rerouted away from Amritsar after suspected drones were spotted near Rajasansi village on Sunday night.",
  "content": "Security authorities were placed on high alert near Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Sunday night following reports of unmanned aerial vehicle activity. The sighting was reported around 9:00 PM over a village located close to Rajasansi, prompting aviation controllers to trigger emergency safety protocols immediately. To prevent any collision hazard or security breach, three inbound passenger flights were diverted to alternative airports. Operations gradually returned to normal after 10:30 PM once ground teams and air traffic monitoring confirmed the airspace was clear.\n\nDetails of Rerouted Passenger Flights\nThe precautionary diversion affected aircraft operated by Air India, IndiGo, and Malaysia Airlines. Inbound flight AI-855 from Delhi to Amritsar was turned around mid-journey and instructed to return to Delhi. Meanwhile, IndiGo flight 6E-5028 originating from Mumbai was redirected to land at Chandigarh. International travelers were also impacted as Malaysia Airlines flight MH-118, flying into Amritsar from Kuala Lumpur, was rerouted to touch down in Delhi instead.\n\nAirport Authority Explanation and Passenger Inconvenience\nThe abrupt schedule disruption left passengers distressed, causing temporary commotion across affected terminals. Addressing the situation, Airport Director Aniruddh Kumar Sharma confirmed that flight diversions were ordered purely out of security considerations following the drone sightings. Sharma noted that passengers understandably become anxious and frustrated during unexpected emergencies, particularly when travel itineraries must be altered at short notice. He stated that the operational environment was stabilized and normalized after roughly 10:30 PM.\n\nPrior Sighting Caused Wider Disruption Last Month\nThis incident follows a similar security scare that unfolded at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport just last month, which led to the diversion of seven flights. During that previous episode, air traffic control sounded an urgent alarm after two to four unidentified aerial objects were spotted traversing the airport operational zone and runway surroundings. In that instance, the aircraft were diverted to Delhi and Chandigarh after suspicious flying devices approached from the direction of Rajala village and lingered over the sensitive high-security perimeter for several minutes.\n\nWhat this means for you\nAirspace security interventions around Amritsar Airport directly disrupted flight schedules and forced emergency travel adjustments for hundreds of passengers.\n\n• Across India: Travelers transiting through major hubs like Delhi and Chandigarh experienced cascading delays due to diverted aircraft occupying unscheduled arrival slots. Aviation authorities routinely step up perimeter surveillance across sensitive domestic airports following drone alarms.\n• In Punjab: Passengers bound for Amritsar faced unexpected drop-offs in Chandigarh or Delhi, requiring unplanned layovers or road transit back to Punjab. Residents in nearby border-adjacent villages around Rajasansi observed heightened security checks and vigilance.\n• For Airline Passengers: Commuters on affected routes suffered sudden delays in reaching their final destinations and experienced luggage collection disruptions. Travelers caught in emergency diversions must coordinate with ground staff for connecting arrangements or rebooked services.\n• Aviation Safety Impact: Suspicious objects detected near operational air corridors force immediate air traffic freezes to eliminate any risk of mid-air collision. Flights are suspended or diverted until ground and radar sweeps confirm that the runway vicinity is entirely clear.\n\nWhy this happened\nEmergency diversion measures were enacted after reports of unidentified drone activity were flagged over a village adjacent to Rajasansi on Sunday evening. Aviation authorities initiated safety protocols immediately to eliminate any collision threat with descending commercial airliners.\n\n• Direct Sighting Alert: Air traffic controllers received reports around 9:00 PM concerning suspicious drone movements near Rajasansi village in close proximity to the airport approach paths. Because any foreign object in active airspace poses severe hazards to passenger planes, diversion directives were issued without delay.\n• Preceding Sighting History: A comparable incident occurred the previous month when two to four drones approached the operational area from Rajala village and lingered above runway grounds. That prior alert had prompted the diversion of seven commercial flights to Chandigarh and Delhi.\n• Resolution and Airspace Clearance: Once comprehensive perimeter checks and airspace radar sweeps confirmed no active intrusions remained, authorities declared operations normal by approximately 10:30 PM. Standard flight movements were subsequently allowed to resume.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. When were the suspicious drones spotted near Amritsar airport?\nThe drone activity was reported around 9:00 PM on Sunday over a village situated close to Rajasansi.\n\n2. Which flights had their routes diverted due to the drone scare?\nAir India flight AI-855, IndiGo flight 6E-5028, and Malaysia Airlines flight MH-118 were diverted.\n\n3. Where were the diverted flights instructed to land?\nAir India and Malaysia Airlines aircraft were redirected to Delhi, while the IndiGo flight landed in Chandigarh.\n\n4. At what time was normal airport operation restored?\nAirport Director Aniruddh Kumar Sharma confirmed that conditions normalized after approximately 10:30 PM.\n\n5. Had a similar drone intrusion occurred at the airport recently?\nYes, seven flights were diverted last month when two to four drones were spotted near the operational perimeter.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/punjab/punjab-men-sri-guru-ram-dass-jee-international-airport-ke-najadika-sndigdha-drona-dikhane-se-haraknpa-tina-uranon-ka-marga-badala-46831",
  "category": "Punjab",
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-12",
  "tags": [
    "Amritsar Airport",
    "Drone Sighting",
    "Flight Diversions",
    "Air India",
    "IndiGo",
    "Malaysia Airlines",
    "Punjab Security"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}