The flight from Hyderabad to Hubballi, which normally takes 90 minutes, was nearly four hours in the air due to bad weather conditions.
Panic in the air had passengers panicking and praying, as the Fly91 flight remained in the air for four hours, well beyond its travel time, before diverting and making a safe landing.
The flight from Hyderabad to Hubballi, which normally takes 90 minutes, was nearly four hours in the air due to bad weather conditions. After being unable to land, the flight was diverted to Bengaluru and landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport. Airport officials later said that all 22 passengers on board were safe.
Video clips of terrified plane passengers praying in the air are spreading on social media, where flyers can be seen holding hands and crying. Passengers can be heard saying “Oh my God” repeatedly in a video shared by one of the flyers. Although the video did not depict the faces of the passengers, their crying could be heard in the shaky video.
Posters can be heard panicking and screaming, with the screams escalating after some point. “Hello… What happened ma’am? Why is he doing like that?” one of the passengers could be heard asking amidst the chaos.
Another video clip filmed by a passenger inside the flight shows a woman next to him crying and holding her hands together in prayer with tears in her eyes. In the second clip, the woman, who still looks dazed, pans the camera to show the other passengers.
In the third clip, filmed by the same publication, the pilot is heard reassuring the pilots that “their safety is most important.” The pilot says they will not attempt to land if weather conditions do not allow it, and the flight will be diverted.
The pilot can be heard saying: “But we still have another 30 to 45 minutes of endurance, and we are holding on. We will keep you informed. Be patient and please follow the instructions given so far.”
Sources said flight IC3401 left Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport around 3 pm and was scheduled to land in Hubballi around 4.30 pm, but was unable to do so due to bad weather conditions, news agency PTI reported. Regarding its diversion, an airport official said that these are standard safety procedures.
“General air circulation training while waiting for better weather”: the airline
In a statement issued after the incident, the airline refuted reports that the flight had suffered a technical malfunction. She added: “The information contained in some news reports indicating that there is a technical problem facing the plane is false and baseless.”
The airline confirmed that the flight was diverted due to bad weather conditions. The airline and officials also said that it is standard protocol for the flight to remain airborne and rotate until the weather improves.
The plane flew over the city of Hubballi, located about 400 kilometers from Bengaluru, for about an hour, waiting for weather conditions to improve, before it was diverted. The agency quoted an official as saying: “This is a general practice. Planes are in the air for some time waiting for the weather to improve. It is the pilot’s decision.”
The plane finally landed safely at around 6.30 pm and returned to Hubali at 11 pm after the situation improved, the official said. “FLY91 has a highly skilled team of pilots, cabin crew and ground staff who are trained to manage any situation that may arise. The regional airline has an impeccable safety record,” the airline said.
Arya Mishra is a content producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, and a key member of the digital news team focusing on breaking news developments across India and the world. With her keen editorial sense and strong reporting skills, Arya covers high-impact crime incidents, public safety and justice issues, political developments, education policy and international affairs, consistently delivering clear, accurate and timely journalism. Highlights of its recent reporting include detailed coverage of serious criminal cases and politics as well as analyzes of national education reforms and international diplomatic moves. On the global news front, she wrote about changes in global trade policy and security developments, including tariff shifts by the United States and strategic anti-terrorism strategies implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Arya thrives in fast-paced environments – running live blogs, crafting in-depth explainers and real-time news coverage that keeps readers informed as stories develop. Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of The Indian Express online team. Outside of the newsroom, she is an avid reader, loves thrillers and suspense novels, and enjoys music as a way to relax. With more than three years of experience in dynamic newsrooms, Arya brings curiosity, clarity and commitment to every story she covers.Read more
