Officials at Thailand’s Phuket airport temporarily shut down their main runway Wednesday following a landing gear failure involving an Air India Express aircraft arriving from India.
Flight AXB938, which had departed from Hyderabad, encountered problems with its nose wheel during the landing process, causing damage to the aircraft’s landing gear system as it touched down on the runway surface.
According to an Air India Express representative, the aircraft “experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport.” The spokesperson continued, “The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned.”
Airport officials confirmed that no injuries occurred during the incident and announced the runway would resume operations at 6 p.m. local time (1100 GMT).
Photos shared on social media by Thai state broadcaster MCOT revealed the aircraft’s damaged landing gear making direct contact with the runway pavement, with one wheel completely detached. The images also showed extensive skid marks zigzagging across the tarmac surface.
The budget airline, which operates as Air India’s low-cost division, maintains a fleet exceeding 100 aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus manufacturers.
This incident adds to a series of safety concerns surrounding the airline. India’s aviation regulatory body issued a reprimand to Air India Express in March of last year for failing to replace engine components on an Airbus A320 as mandated by the European Union’s aviation safety authority, Reuters previously reported. Officials also criticized the airline for creating false documentation to appear compliant with safety requirements.
Between January and November of last year, Air India Express documented 95 technical problems, ranking second among Indian carriers for reported defects during that timeframe, according to India’s civil aviation ministry in December. Ministry officials did not elaborate on the specific types of mechanical issues encountered.
The parent company, Air India, has faced heightened regulatory attention in recent months following multiple safety violations and a fatal crash in Ahmedabad last June that claimed 260 lives.
Phuket serves as a major transportation hub for Thailand, handling hundreds of daily flights connecting passengers from Middle Eastern, European, and Asian destinations, along with domestic travel routes.
