Air India Express Hyderabad–Phuket Flight Suffers Hard Landing In Phuket, Nose Wheel Damaged; Runway Closed

An aircraft operated by Air India Express experienced a nose-wheel malfunction after landing at Phuket International Airport on Wednesday, causing a temporary disruption to airport operations.

The aircraft, which was flying from Hyderabad to Phuket, remained stranded on the runway after landing. As a safety measure, airport authorities suspended all flight movements for a short period while teams worked to manage the situation and clear the runway.

Technical Issue Reported After Landing

The aircraft involved in the incident was a Boeing 737 MAX 8. According to the airline, the flight faced an issue with its nose wheel, which is a critical component of an aircraft's landing gear system.

In an official statement, Air India Express confirmed the incident and explained that the problem occurred after the plane reached Phuket.

The airline stated that the crew followed all safety procedures and ensured that passengers were safely deplaned from the aircraft. At the time of the report, the airline had not immediately confirmed the exact number of passengers onboard.

What Is A Nose Wheel And Why It Matters

The nose wheel is the front wheel of an aircraft's landing gear. It helps the plane steer and move safely on the runway and taxiways during landing, take-off, and ground operations.
If the nose wheel experiences a malfunction, it can affect the aircraft's ability to move or turn on the runway, which is why airport authorities usually stop other flight operations until the aircraft is safely handled.

Such incidents are handled carefully to avoid risks to passengers, crew members, and other aircraft at the airport.

Flight Timing Details

According to data from the flight tracking platform Flightradar24, the flight identified as IX 938 departed from Hyderabad slightly later than scheduled.

• Scheduled departure: 6:20 AM
• Actual departure: 6:42 AM
• Arrival in Phuket: 11:40 AM (local time)

Soon after landing, the nose-wheel issue was detected, leading to the aircraft being stranded on the runway.

Airport authorities then temporarily suspended flight movements while efforts were made to clear the aircraft and restore normal airport operations.

Passengers Safely Deplaned

Air India Express confirmed that the flight crew followed all standard operating procedures during the incident. Passengers were safely taken off the aircraft once the situation was under control.

The airline emphasised that passenger safety remained the top priority, and the crew acted according to established safety protocols.

Air India Group Continues Flights To West Asia

In a separate development, Air India and Air India Express announced that they will operate a total of 58 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from West Asia on Wednesday.

Airlines are currently operating services carefully because of the ongoing regional tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Due to the situation, some airspaces in the region have restrictions or temporary closures.

Despite these challenges, both airlines confirmed that certain flights will continue as scheduled.

Flights To Jeddah And Muscat To Continue

The airlines confirmed that services to Jeddah and Muscat will continue on March 11.

• Air India will operate eight flights to and from Jeddah.
• Air India Express will run 14 scheduled flights to and from Muscat.

Air India will operate round-trip flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Jeddah, while Air India Express will run round-trip flights from Hyderabad and Kozhikode to Jeddah.

The nose-wheel malfunction involving the Air India Express flight at Phuket International Airport caused a temporary disruption but was handled according to safety procedures. Passengers were safely deplaned, and authorities worked quickly to restore normal operations.