Bhogapuram-bound flight with 70 passengers lands after 12 hours

An Air India Express flight from Vijayawada to Bhogapuram carrying more than 70 passengers including two Ministers and other public representatives, landed at its destination on Thursday morning at around 8.30 am, after nearly 12 hours.

The flight (IX1373), carrying Minister for MSME Kondapalli Srinivas, Minister for Agriculture K.Atchannaidu and Opposition Leader of AP Legislative Council Botcha Satyanarayana, left Vijayawada at 8:52 p.m. on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) and was scheduled to land at the Bhogapuram International Airport at 9:40 p.m. the same evening. However, due to heavy rain and and bad weather conditions at Bhogapuram it was prevented from landing and was diverted to Nagpur on Wednesday night. The were also reports of a technical glitch in the airport’s signalling system, though it could not be confirmed. The flight remained in the air for sometime, before being diverted as the pilots failed to get permission for landing at Bhogapuram. The pilots reportedly sought permission to land the flight at various airports, including Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Tirupati but did not get permission to land. Eventually at 12:30 a.m. (Thursday) the aircraft reached Nagpur

The flight remained in Nagpur for several hours before departing at around 2.20 a.m. It travelled via Bengaluru and reached Vijayawada at around 7.15 a.m. before proceeding to Bhogapuram where it landed at around 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.

The prolonged delay had the passengers and their family members worried. The airlines and the GMR group airport authorities had a tough time at Bhogapuram when passengers family members insisted for authentic information about the flight and the safety of their dear ones. There was relief when they heard the flight had landed safely in Nagpur.

Mr. Kondapalli Srinivas stayed back in Vijayawada, while Mr. Atchannaidu along with other passengers reached Bhogapuram in the same flight. Family members of passengers, and well wishers of the leaders reached the airport in the early hours to receive them.

In a press release, Mr. Srinivas thanked all his well wishers and said that flight diversions were common during emergency situations and bad weather conditions.  

Mr. Atchannaidu later travelled to Tekkali in Srikakulam district where he reviewed the cyclone and flood situation. He also consoled family members of the four intermediate students who were run over by a train near Tekkali on Wednesday.