New Delhi, March 24 -- Pilots flying a Cathay Pacific flight into Delhi reported being briefly blinded by high-intensity laser beams during final approach earlier this year, underscoring a rise in such incidents that threaten aviation safety at a time of booming air travel.

The crew of flight CX695 from Hong Kong flagged the episode after landing safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport in February, saying the glare impaired their ability to read cockpit instruments at a critical stage. A safety report was subsequently filed with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the matter was later raised in Parliament.

Laser strikes near Indian airports have jumped sharply, rising from 122 cases in 2023 to over 500 in 2025, d...