BodhGaya: Air traffic at Gaya International Airport drew attention on Sunday after two flights were forced to divert or make unscheduled landings because of technical and weather-related disruptions.
A scheduled IndiGo service from Kolkata to Gaya was unable to land after a technical issue was detected mid-flight. As a precaution, the aircraft returned safely to Kolkata, causing delays and inconvenience for passengers bound for Gaya. The same aircraft later resumed operations and landed in Gaya at about 2.30pm. The flight normally arrives at Gaya at 11.40am.
In a separate incident, an international Thai AirAsia flight operating from Bangkok to Kathmandu was forced to divert because of poor visibility at its destination. The aircraft made a precautionary landing at Gaya at around 12.15pm. After weather conditions improved, it departed for Nepal at approximately 4.10pm.
Airport authorities said arrangements were made to ensure passenger safety and provide necessary facilities during the unscheduled halt. Awadhesh Kumar, the acting director of Gaya International Airport, confirmed that both the domestic and international flights landed safely and that standard safety protocols were followed.
With a growing number of international services using the airport, officials said Gaya is increasingly being viewed as a reliable alternative landing point in the region during emergencies or adverse weather conditions.
