Jayant Jadhav (centre) along with family members on board the Delhi-Goa Indigo flight.
VASCO
A rare and unexpected experience unfolded for scores of passengers on Thursday night, when a sudden technical glitch shut down the runway lights at Goa’s Dabolim Airport, forcing multiple flight diversions — and in an unusual twist — leading to a brief but historic inter-airport flight within the State.
Among the four flights that were diverted due to the runway blackout at Goa International Airport, three returned from the Manohar International Airport in Mopa to Dabolim after the technical snag was resolved. This gave passengers the once-in-a-lifetime experience of flying between the two airports of Goa, a journey that lasted less than 15 minutes.
Airport authorities confirmed the rare occurrence.
Speaking to The Goan, Goa Airport Director George Varghese said, “The runway experienced a sudden glitch and there was an issue with the runway lights. This led to the diversion of four flights — three of which were diverted to Mopa Airport and one to Mumbai. However, once the issue was resolved, all flights returned to Dabolim Airport with the passengers.”
One of the flights that made this return trip was an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Goa. Among the passengers was Jayant Jadhav, who was flying along with his family to Goa.
Jadhav described the experience as surreal and unforgettable.
“We were on the IndiGo flight from Delhi, which we boarded at around 6 pm. The flight was scheduled to land at Dabolim around 8.20 pm,” Jadhav recounted. “As we neared Goa, we could see the coastlines and city lights below. But time kept passing, and we were still in the air.”
He said the uncertainty among passengers soon turned to concern.
“By 9 pm, people started to panic. We didn’t understand why we hadn’t landed yet. Finally, the captain made an announcement, informing us that there was a technical issue with the runway lights at Dabolim and that we would be diverted to Mopa,” Jadhav said.
The flight landed at Mopa shortly thereafter, but the confusion didn’t end there.
“We were just sitting in the aircraft, clueless. I spoke to the air hostess, who simply asked us to wait. Some passengers began expressing their frustration, especially when we noticed another IndiGo aircraft being refuelled nearby,” he said.
Soon, snacks were served and the passengers were informed that their own aircraft was being refuelled. Moments later, came an unexpected announcement: the flight would be returning to Dabolim.
“We were surprised. I never imagined I’d fly between the two Goan airports,” said Jadhav. “The flight took off from Mopa at around 10.13 pm and landed at Dabolim just under 15 minutes later.”
The short flight left a lasting impression on many passengers.
“It was such a unique experience. How often do you get to say you flew between two airports in the same state, separated by barely 60 kilometres? This may be the first and last time for many of us. I’ll definitely remember it for the rest of my life,” Jadhav added.
The event also brought attention to how operational glitches can sometimes lead to unplanned — and extraordinary — experiences for passengers.
For Jadhav and many others, the 13-minute flight between Mopa and Dabolim will go down as one of the rarest journeys in their flying lives.
