Air Astra Flight Grounded In Dhaka After Bird Strike Hits Landing Gear

An Air Astra flight at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka was grounded on Thursday morning, August 7, 2025, after a bird strike damaged its front landing gear during takeoff. Airport sources reported that the pilot aborted the flight immediately to ensure safety, halting operations moments after the collision.

The aircraft, undergoing technical inspections to assess the damage, remains grounded while the airline works to reschedule the flight. Although the incident caused some anxiety among passengers, no injuries were reported. Air Astra authorities are coordinating to determine a new flight schedule.

This marks another bird strike incident at HSIA, following similar events involving Turkish Airlines on May 20, 2025, and Biman Bangladesh Airlines on June 27, 2025, both requiring emergency landings. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has noted the airport’s single runway and ongoing delays in constructing a second runway, which could mitigate such risks during peak operations.