Air India Aircraft Takes Wrong Taxiway Turn, Ends Up Face-to-Face With IndiGo Plane at Ahmedabad Airport (image source: "Chat GPT AI Generated Visuals")
A potentially serious aviation incident was narrowly averted at Ahmedabad Airport. After landing, an Air India aircraft mistakenly turned in the wrong direction while taxiing and ended up in front of an IndiGo aircraft that was preparing for takeoff. Prompt action by Air Traffic Control (ATC) prevented the situation from escalating, and there were no reports of injuries or damage.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 24 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. According to reports, Air India flight AI2493 had arrived from Mumbai and was instructed to proceed to its designated parking bay after landing. While taxiing, the aircraft reportedly turned onto a different taxiway instead of the assigned one.
Taxiways are ground paths used by aircraft to move between the runway and parking areas. Unlike on the runway, aircraft travel along these paths at controlled speeds, and airport controllers constantly coordinate their movements to maintain a safe distance between them.
Around the same time, IndiGo flight 6E5160 was moving towards the runway, preparing to take off for Mumbai. As both aircraft entered the same taxiway, they came to a halt facing each other. According to reports, there was a distance of approximately 200 meters between the two aircraft.
According to aviation officials, Air Traffic Control immediately instructed both flight crews to halt. Prompt action and adherence to protocols ensured that standard safety norms were maintained and averted any risk of a collision.
Air India later confirmed that the aircraft had inadvertently turned in the wrong direction while taxiing after landing. The airline stated that the safety of passengers and crew was never compromised, and the aircraft was guided back to the correct parking bay with the assistance of ground staff.
IndiGo also confirmed that the operation of its aircraft was briefly halted as a precautionary measure because another aircraft had entered its taxi path. Once the situation normalized and clearance was received from the airport, the flight took off as scheduled and completed its journey safely.
This incident has drawn attention because aviation ground operations rely heavily on precise coordination between pilots, controllers, airport markings, and taxi instructions. Even though taxiing speeds are relatively low, airports treat deviations from designated movement paths seriously to ensure operational safety.
Authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident. The aviation regulator will review communication records, taxi instructions, airport movement patterns, and operational aspects to determine how the aircraft ended up on the wrong taxiway.
While the image of the two aircraft facing each other drew public attention, aviation experts state that the airport’s safety system functioned as expected. Oversight at multiple levels—including ATC monitoring and pilot response—ensured the situation was handled safely, with no harm coming to passengers or crew.