The runway at Leh Airport in Jammu and Kashmir has been temporarily closed after a C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft encountered serviceability issues, causing disruptions to flight operations. According to an Indian Air Force official, efforts are underway to rectify the issue, and it is expected that the runway will be available for flying by tomorrow morning, as reported by news agency ANI. As a result, all flights to and from Leh were either diverted or canceled today.
Several domestic airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Vistara, operate regular flights to Leh. However, due to the runway closure, these flights were either diverted or canceled. Vistara, in a tweet, informed passengers about flight diversions caused by “runway restrictions.” Air India diverted one of its daily flights to Srinagar and canceled the second flight following a notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued due to the C-17 breakdown. SpiceJet canceled two out of its three daily flights, while IndiGo canceled all four of its flights to Leh.
Flightradar24, a Swedish internet-based service for flight tracking, also confirmed that all flight arrivals at Leh Airport have been canceled. An airport official stated that flights for the day have been canceled, and airlines will be informed if the runway can be operational as per schedule tomorrow, according to Hindustan Times.
Efforts are underway to resolve the issue promptly to restore normal flight operations at Leh Airport and minimize further disruptions for travelers to and from the region.
