Phuket International Airport temporarily closed its runway on 11 March 2026, following a runway incident involving an Air India Express flight arriving from Hyderabad.
According to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), the runway was closed from 12:08 PM to 6:00 PM while airport authorities worked to clear the aircraft and investigate the situation. The incident involved Air India Express flight AXB938 operating from Hyderabad to Phuket.
Initial reports indicate the Boeing 737-800, registered VT-BWQ, experienced a hard landing which caused damage to the landing gear and nose landing gear, leaving the aircraft unable to immediately vacate the runway.
The aircraft landed ahead of its scheduled arrival time, touching down at 11:24 AM instead of the planned 11:40 AM.
All 7 crew members, 131 passengers, and 2 infants on board were reported safe, with no injuries recorded. Airport teams responded promptly to secure the aircraft and reopen the runway once the situation was addressed.
