Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight: Pakistan rejects pilot’s request to use its airspace amid deadly turbulence
In a dramatic turn of events earlier this week that should knock some sense into the ‘Aman Ki Asha’ brigade if Operation Sindoor hadn’t already, the pilots of IndiGo’s Delhi-to-Srinagar flight found themselves trapped in a fierce hailstorm—after being denied permission to reroute around the weather by Lahore’s Air Traffic Control. The startling revelation came from the DGCA on Friday, May 23.
What began as a routine flight from Delhi to Srinagar turned into a harrowing ordeal for 222 passengers aboard IndiGo Flight 6E 2142 on Wednesday evening, as the aircraft was violently caught in a hailstorm and severe turbulence near Pathankot. Startlingly, the Lahore’s Air Traffic Control had denied the pilots’ desperate requests to deviate from their course to avoid the impending weather threat, according to a DGCA statement released Friday (May 23, 2025).
Though no injuries were reported and the Airbus A320 landed safely at Srinagar International Airport, the flight left many visibly shaken—including five Trinamool Congress MPs onboard. The aircraft itself wasn’t so lucky. Its radome, or nose cone, was severely damaged by the hail, forcing the plane to be grounded for inspection and repairs.
“This was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over,” said Trinamool MP and journalist-turned-politician Sagarika Ghose, ironically one of the most vocal peaceniks consistently advocating for thawing of relationship between India and Pakistan. “People were screaming, praying, panicking. Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that nightmare. When we landed and saw the nose of the plane blown apart, it hit us how close we came to disaster.”
According to the DGCA, the incident unfolded after the crew attempted to return to Delhi upon detecting a thunderstorm cell ahead. But boxed in by restricted military airspace and a closed Pakistan corridor, they had little choice. The IAF first declined permission to reroute toward the international border, and Lahore ATC refused a similar request shortly after. With the storm fast approaching, the pilots made a split-second decision to proceed through the weather system rather than risk circling back. “The crew chose to maintain heading to exit the turbulence via the shortest path to Srinagar,” read the DGCA’s summary.
Dramatic videos shot mid-flight have since flooded social media, showing visibly terrified passengers clinging to seats, some whispering prayers, others breaking down as the aircraft violently shook and dipped.
IndiGo confirmed the incident in a statement Thursday, assuring the public that all passengers were safe. “Flight 6E 2142 encountered a sudden hailstorm and landed safely. The aircraft is undergoing maintenance and will return to service once cleared.”
The timing of the event adds a layer of geopolitical complexity. Following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed at least 26 people and India’s audacious Operation Sindoor to bring the perpetrators of terrorism to justice, airspace between India and Pakistan remains mutually shut—leaving civilian pilots with fewer emergency options in northern sectors. The MPs onboard were en route to visit victims of cross-border shelling along the LoC, highlighting the thin line separating diplomacy from danger in this high-stakes region.
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