Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has asked airlines to proactively inform in case of flight delays. Also ensure that the check-in counter is fully staffed to help minimize disruption in travel. According to PTI news, the Civil Aviation Minister gave these instructions in a review meeting with various stakeholders on fog preparedness last Wednesday. Typically, fog season begins in early December.
Good progress in overcoming obstacles this winter
According to the news, according to the norms issued earlier this year, if there is a long delay in flight operation after boarding, passengers will be allowed to exit the plane through the departure gate of the airport. The Civil Aviation Ministry has said that preparations to manage the visibility challenges this winter are moving in the right direction and good progress has been made in removing the constraints.
These instructions were also given to the airlines
Airlines have been directed by the Ministry to proactively communicate with passengers about possible delays/cancellations due to visibility issues and ensure that correct passenger contact information is entered during ticket booking. The ministry has also said that if the delay is more than three hours, the flight will have to be cancelled. Let us tell you that last Monday at least 15 flights were diverted in Delhi due to bad weather and pollution. 100s of flights were delayed.
Will follow DGCA guidelines
Airlines have said they will follow DGCA guidelines regarding deployment of CAT II/III compliant aircraft and pilots for Delhi and other airports that may be affected by fog. Of the four runways at Delhi Airport, which is also the busiest airport in the country, three have CAT III ILS (Instrument Landing System) which will allow flight operations at low visibility levels. CAT II/III compliance will allow pilots to operate aircraft in low visibility conditions.
Advice on installing LED screens at prominent places
BCAS circulator allows smooth re-entry of passengers stranded inside a flight due to weather or technical delay, thereby reducing inconvenience and facilitating easy reboarding once flights resume. In case of flight delays and cancellations, proper passenger convenience is the priority. Delhi airport operator DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) has been advised to install LED screens at key locations to provide real-time updates about visibility conditions to passengers.
