‘War Rooms At Six Metro Airports’: Aviation Ministry’s New Measures For Fog-Related Flight Delays
Yesterday, Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog, wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, and at times, dropped to zero between 5 AM to 9 AM. The authorities, therefore, were compelled to enforce a shut-down of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III runways cannot handle Zero-Visibility operations). The decision was taken keeping passenger safety in mind, which remains the foremost priority for all in the aviation ecosystem.
Fog-related disruptions and reduced visibility are not uncommon in Delhi, particularly during the winter months. Delhi experiences fog, particularly in the early mornings and late evenings, due to climatic conditions. This can impact air travel, leading to delays and cancellations as a safety precaution. The reference to “Zero-Visibility operations” highlights the severity of the fog, making it challenging for flights to operate safely. Authorities prioritize passenger safety, and decisions like temporarily shutting down operations on certain runways are made to ensure the well-being of travelers and the smooth functioning of the aviation ecosystem.
Union Aviation Minister has outlined new standard operating procedures for airlines to “mitigate passenger inconvenience”.
New Delhi: The Civil Aviation Ministry has implemented fresh measures to tackle flight disruptions due to fog, instructing all six metro airports to submit incidence reports thrice daily. On Monday, the Ministry released Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with the goal of mitigating passenger inconvenience and encouraged airlines to adhere to the guidelines.
Jyotiraditya Scindia Announces ‘War Rooms’ at Six Metro Airports
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, in a Tuesday post on ‘X,’ unveiled plans for the establishment of ‘War Rooms’ at the six metro airports. These rooms, to be established by airports and airline operators, aim to swiftly address any issues related to passenger inconvenience. The minister stressed the significance of immediate resolution and assured the continuous availability of sufficient Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) manpower.
Delhi Airport Adopts CAT III Measures Amid Unprecedented Fog
In response to the unprecedented fog in Delhi, Minister Scindia has declared the operationalization of runway RWY 29L at Delhi Airport under CAT III conditions. CAT III landing, a precision approach, ensures safe landings in low-visibility conditions. The ‘X’ post revealed plans to operationalize RWY 10/28 as CAT III after re-carpeting.
Delhi has faced severe fog over the past 72 hours, causing erratic visibility and significant flight delays. Minister Scindia earnestly appeals for travellers’ understanding during this challenging period, emphasizing stakeholders’ dedicated efforts to minimize passenger inconvenience.
Addressing unruly behaviour during fog-related disruptions, Minister Scindia condemned incidents in a Monday post on ‘X,’ deeming such behaviour unacceptable. He stressed a robust response in line with existing legal provisions and assured ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of fog-related challenges.
To tackle fog-induced disruptions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were issued to all airlines, including thrice-daily incidence reporting for the 6 metro airports. @DGCAIndia will monitor and regularly report Directives, SOPs, and CARs. ‘War Rooms’ will be set up by airports and airline operators at the 6 Metro Airports to promptly address passenger inconvenience. Continuous availability of adequate CISF manpower will be ensured 24/7.
Immediate actions include:
- Approval procedures are in progress.
- The DGCA will release an SOP for airlines, focusing on improved communication and passenger facilitation to alleviate discomfort due to flight cancellations and delays caused by adverse weather.
- An earnest request is made to all travellers for patience during this challenging period.
- All stakeholders are actively working to reduce passenger inconvenience, and unruly behaviour will be strongly addressed in accordance with existing legal provisions.
- Assurance is given that stakeholders are tirelessly working 24/7 to minimize the impact of fog-related issues.
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Source: https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia