IndiGo, SpiceJet flights avert collision at Ahmedabad airport

AHMEDABAD: A Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight had to abort take-off at the last minute as an IndiGo plane could not clear the runway due to the presence of rabbits on the airstrip at Ahmedabad airport, averting a major mishap.

The incident, which took place Friday evening, has been reported to aviation regulator DGCA, which has initiated a probe into the matter, sources said.

The SpiceJet aircraft had 142 passengers on board. IndiGo, however, did not share details of the number of passengers.

“SpiceJet flight from Ahmedabad to Delhi, SG 912, was asked to enter backtrack runway and await departure clearance, pending runway clearance by an IndiGo flight. Once the IndiGo pilot confirmed to the Air Traffic Controller that the strip had been cleared, it allowed the flight to take off,” sources said.

“However, seconds later, the controller noticed that the IndiGo flight had stopped on the exit taxi track with a portion of the aircraft still on the runway. This necessitated the Air Traffic Controller to advise SpiceJet to hold position, forcing the pilot to abort take off at the last minute,” they said.

When contacted, a SpiceJet spokesperson said its flight had to abort take off at the last stage of taxiing due to the presence of another aircraft on the runway, while an IndiGo spokesperson said both aircraft were “well separated”.