For the 148 passengers aboard Air India Express flight IX2065, the journey from Visakhapatnam to Bengaluru on October 20, 2026, was expected to be a standard domestic transit. As the aircraft approached its destination at Kempegowda International Airport, the routine of the final approach was abruptly interrupted. At approximately 3:10 PM, while the plane was in the process of landing at the airport’s Terminal 3 runway, the aircraft suffered a bird strike. This phenomenon, while often startling, is a known risk in aviation, occurring when a bird collides with an aircraft, potentially causing damage to the fuselage, windshield, or engines.
Despite the sudden nature of the collision, the flight crew maintained control of the aircraft, executing a safe landing at Kempegowda International Airport. The safety of the 148 passengers and the crew remained the primary focus throughout the event. Upon touchdown, it was confirmed that there were no injuries reported among those on board. The successful navigation of the landing serves as a testament to the rigorous training pilots undergo to handle unexpected environmental hazards during the most critical phases of flight.
An Air India Express flight from Visakhapatnam to Bengaluru suffered a bird strike but landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport on Monday. All 148 passengers were unharmed. Technical teams have begun inspecting the aircraft to assess possible damage. https://t.co/9AWnPuFvMg
Once the plane was safely on the ground, the operational focus shifted immediately from navigation to technical assessment. Technical teams were dispatched to inspect the aircraft for any potential damage resulting from the impact. Such inspections are mandatory in the wake of a bird strike to ensure the structural and mechanical integrity of the plane before it is cleared for further service. While the aircraft underwent this thorough evaluation, the incident inevitably caused a ripple effect, leading to a delay in the flight’s subsequent schedule, including a connection involving a flight from Dubai.
Technical teams were dispatched to inspect the aircraft for any potential damage resulting from the impact.
October 20, 2026, proved to be a particularly eventful day for the broader aviation sector in India, as the incident involving Air India Express was not the only safety concern reported. Elsewhere, an Air India flight, identified as AI-2030, was cleared to depart from Jaipur following a security-related hijack scare that required careful management by ground authorities. Meanwhile, an IndiGo flight traveling from Delhi to Chennai was forced to make an emergency landing after a power bank caught fire on board, highlighting the persistent risks posed by lithium-ion batteries in cabin environments.
Air India Express bird strike: Flight IX2065 lands safely in Bengaluru with 148 aboard Air India Express flight IX2065 from Visakhapatnam lands safely at Bengaluru's Kempegowda airport after a bird strike on 20 October; all 148 passengers unharmed. https://t.co/Z2qA2jmiT1 https://t.co/GAfm0VpQ4L
By the time the technical teams concluded their assessment of the Air India Express aircraft, the incident had been contained without further complication. The flight, which had been delayed to accommodate the necessary safety checks, was eventually cleared to continue its journey. For the passengers who had been caught in the middle of the mid-air collision, the experience underscored the reality that even in an era of highly automated and sophisticated air travel, the unpredictable nature of the natural world—and the vigilance required to manage it—remains a constant factor in modern transit.