With
fog likely to affect flights in and out of Delhi and other cities in
North India for a longer period this year, aviation regulator DGCA has
asked all airlines to deploy sufficient number of pilots trained to
operate air service in such a condition.
At a meeting convened by DGCA, met
department officials said the anticipated period of fog during 2012-13
at the Delhi airport would be from December 10 to February 10. In the
past few years, foggy conditions have subsided by the third week of
January.
The meeting, which reviewed fog preparedness at the Delhi and other north Indian airports, was attended by officials of Airports Authority of India, domestic and foreign carriers, Delhi International Airport Ltd, CISF and the Indian Meteorological Department, an official spokesperson said. DGCA directed airlines to ensure that adequate numbers of Category-III trained pilots were available to operate flights to and from Delhi during fog. The airlines were also told that the operations of planes like ATR turboprops, regional jets and Bombardier Q400s, which are not CAT-III compliant, should be rescheduled during the fog period.
The regulator also asked airlines to provide advance information to passengers and provide them with basic amenities along with food at alternate airports in case of diverted flights. While DIAL representative made a presentation on the preparations and contingency plans during the fog period, AAI officials said they have issued instructions to alternate airports near Delhi to prepare for fog situation.
Construction work, which could affect aircraft operations, should be stopped near the operational area at the IGI airport as well as the alternate airports like Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar, Ahmedabad and Varanasi during the fog period, the aviation regulator instructed.
The meeting came following direction from Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to take all necessary steps in advance to meet eventualities arising out of fog during the winter season particularly at the airports in North India. Singh asked authorities to ensure that passengers should not be put to unnecessary inconvenience and flight cancellations should be minimised without compromising safety, an official statement said.
He also advised Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other authorities concerned to make use of the best available technology for smooth navigation and landing of aircraft during fog. The DGCA directed the airports to display meteorological information for passengers on flight information displays (FIDs) and update it every 15 minutes.
Weather information on the IGI airport should be displayed on prominent news channels, it said. Airlines should provide information to passengers about delays, rescheduling, cancellation of flights in advance through SMS, email, phone. Airlines should also provide information to DIAL on flight status for updating the same on FIDs, he said.
After the fog situation improves, priority should be given to diverted flights and ATC should sequence the planes and give clearance for take-off based on the start-up request to avoid congestion, he said, adding that ground infrastructure would be augmented at alternate airports during fog.
He said that airlines must ensure that passengers were provided basic amenities along with food at alternate airports in case of diverted flights. Airlines should position a senior level officer at IGI airport during the fog period for passenger facilitation.
To avoid any misconduct or violence on the part of passengers, CISF have been directed to provide necessary help to the airlines. DIAL would be holding daily evening meetings of all stakeholders during the fog period to review the situation during the day and plan for the next day's operations.
PTI
The meeting, which reviewed fog preparedness at the Delhi and other north Indian airports, was attended by officials of Airports Authority of India, domestic and foreign carriers, Delhi International Airport Ltd, CISF and the Indian Meteorological Department, an official spokesperson said. DGCA directed airlines to ensure that adequate numbers of Category-III trained pilots were available to operate flights to and from Delhi during fog. The airlines were also told that the operations of planes like ATR turboprops, regional jets and Bombardier Q400s, which are not CAT-III compliant, should be rescheduled during the fog period.
The regulator also asked airlines to provide advance information to passengers and provide them with basic amenities along with food at alternate airports in case of diverted flights. While DIAL representative made a presentation on the preparations and contingency plans during the fog period, AAI officials said they have issued instructions to alternate airports near Delhi to prepare for fog situation.
Construction work, which could affect aircraft operations, should be stopped near the operational area at the IGI airport as well as the alternate airports like Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar, Ahmedabad and Varanasi during the fog period, the aviation regulator instructed.
The meeting came following direction from Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to take all necessary steps in advance to meet eventualities arising out of fog during the winter season particularly at the airports in North India. Singh asked authorities to ensure that passengers should not be put to unnecessary inconvenience and flight cancellations should be minimised without compromising safety, an official statement said.
He also advised Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other authorities concerned to make use of the best available technology for smooth navigation and landing of aircraft during fog. The DGCA directed the airports to display meteorological information for passengers on flight information displays (FIDs) and update it every 15 minutes.
Weather information on the IGI airport should be displayed on prominent news channels, it said. Airlines should provide information to passengers about delays, rescheduling, cancellation of flights in advance through SMS, email, phone. Airlines should also provide information to DIAL on flight status for updating the same on FIDs, he said.
After the fog situation improves, priority should be given to diverted flights and ATC should sequence the planes and give clearance for take-off based on the start-up request to avoid congestion, he said, adding that ground infrastructure would be augmented at alternate airports during fog.
He said that airlines must ensure that passengers were provided basic amenities along with food at alternate airports in case of diverted flights. Airlines should position a senior level officer at IGI airport during the fog period for passenger facilitation.
To avoid any misconduct or violence on the part of passengers, CISF have been directed to provide necessary help to the airlines. DIAL would be holding daily evening meetings of all stakeholders during the fog period to review the situation during the day and plan for the next day's operations.
PTI
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