Air India Denies Congress MP KC Venugopal's Claim Of Runway Intrusion In Chennai, He Demands DGCA Probe

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Sunday (10 August) alleged that an Air India flight he was aboard narrowly avoided disaster when another aircraft entered the runway at Chennai airport during landing, reported India Today.

Venugopal was travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi on AI 2455, which also carried MPs Kodikkunil Suresh, Adoor Prakash, K Radhakrishnan, and Robert Bruce.

The flight, delayed at departure, encountered severe turbulence shortly after take-off.

“About an hour later, the captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai,” Venugopal posted on X.

For nearly two hours, the aircraft circled before attempting to land. “Another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway. In that split second, the Captain’s quick decision to pull up saved every life on board,” he added. The plane landed safely on the second attempt.

Air India posted on X, denying any runway intrusion and clarifying that Chennai Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructed a go-around during the first landing attempt, not due to another aircraft’s presence.

The airline said poor weather and a suspected technical issue prompted the diversion, adding, the flight landed safely in Chennai, where the aircraft will undergo inspections.

Venugopal dismissed the clarification, insisting, “It was announced by the pilot that there was another aircraft on the runway… Air India is lying.” He demanded a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) inquiry into the matter.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Air India’s fleet, following a recent fatal crash in Ahmedabad. Venugopal stressed, “We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck.”

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