Delhi-Indore Air India Express Flight Suffers Mid-Air Scare; Pilot Issues PAN-PAN Call, Lands Safely

An Air India Express’ Delhi-Indore flight had a mid-air scare on Friday, September 5. Reportedly, the pilot called out a ‘PAN-PAN’ signal and later landed at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport with a 20-minute delay. Thankfully, the flight with its 161 passengers landed safely. Here’s what happened.

Air India Express Delhi-Indore Flight Faces Mid-Air Scare

The Air India Express flight was on its way from Delhi to Indore on Friday when it suffered an engine fault mid-air. As per a report by The Economic Times, the pilot made a ‘PAN-PAN’ call to air traffic control. In aviation terms, this indicates an urgent situation that needs immediate assistance but is not life-threatening, unlike ‘Mayday’, which is used for life-threatening emergencies. 

The flight number IX 1028, carrying 161 passengers, landed safely at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, Indore, with a 20-minute delay. Reportedly, the airport’s director, Vipinkant, told PTI that after receiving information about a technical fault in one of the engines, all necessary precautions were taken. The aircraft, which was scheduled to land at 9:35 am, eventually landed at 9:56 am.

Also Read: Bird Hit Forces Cancellation Of Air India Express Flight From Vijayawada To Bengaluru

All Emergency Measures Activated At The Airport

As per the same report, the pilot sent a PAN-PAN signal after which all emergency measures were activated. Fire and medical arrangements were put in place at the airport as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

It should also be noted that a similar incident occurred in July 2025 when an IndiGo flight en route to Goa from Delhi had to make an emergency landing at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after facing an engine issue mid-air. Thankfully, all 161 passengers on the Air India Express flight IX 1028 were safe. They must surely have been shaken by the scare.

You would also like to know that Air India Express is an Indian low-cost airline. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, and operates over 2000 flights per week.

Also Read: Air India Express Launches New Direct Flights Linking Bengaluru To These 3 Cities

This incident serves as a reminder of how important quick action and emergency preparedness are in situations like these.

Cover Image Courtesy: Air India Express/ X (Representative Image)