Pak rejected IndiGo pilot’s request amid turbulence

An IndiGo pilot operating the Delhi-Srinagar flight, which encountered a sudden hailstorm on Wednesday, initially sought Lahore air traffic control’s permission to briefly use the Pakistan airspace to avoid the turbulence, but the request was rejected, sources said on Thursday.

The incident of flight 6E 2142 encountering severe turbulence is being probed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the sources said.

The flight, carrying more than 220 people, including Trinamool Congress MPs, encountered a sudden hailstorm, and the pilot reported the “emergency” to air traffic control at Srinagar airport. The flight had landed safely on Wednesday.

When the aircraft was overflying Amritsar, the pilot noticed turbulence and sought Lahore ATC permission to take a deviation through the Pakistan airspace. The request was made in order to avoid the turbulence, but it was rejected by the Lahore ATC, the sources said.

As a result, the aircraft operated on the original flight path, where it encountered severe turbulence, they added.

India