IGIA CAT III runway ‘unfortunately timed’; ‘Will add more CAT III pilots’: AI chief Wilson
New Delhi: Air India will create a “large pool of CAT III pilots” and is assessing “how best to cope” flight disruption because of dense fog Like every year, which has increased manifold this winter due to the main reason of Delhi Airport CAT III runway Closed since last September. AI MD and CEO Campbell Wilson on Thursday described IGIA’s continued closure of the main runway 28/10 as “unfortunately timed”. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has not been able to operate this runway due to some electrical issues remaining unresolved and several deadlines for doing so having been missed. The vitally important main runway 28/10 is still closed while the fog season is set to end soon.
“…We are in for an unusually bad fog season (in northern India).” “Additionally, the unfortunately timely closure of one of Delhi’s two ‘low visibility’ runways for repairs has significantly impacted the operations of all airlines, resulting in an impact on staff and of course customers,” Wilson said. Is.
“As fog will return in future seasons and airport/airway congestion will increase, our operations team is assessing how to better deal, such as creating a larger pool of CAT3 crew, better roster planning and scheduling Buffers and, where necessary, more. Pre-emptive flight cancellation. In the meantime, I want to acknowledge everyone’s efforts to help our customers in often difficult situations,” he said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on January 17 had imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on SpiceJet and Air India for “failing to comply with instructions regarding rostering of (Cat III) pilots”. DGCA had asked airlines to deploy on November 6, 2023 pilot Trained to take off and land in low visibility during fog. “The data regarding flight delays/cancellations/diversions submitted by scheduled airlines for December 2023 was analyzed in DGCA and it was found that SpiceJet and Air India have reported CAT II/III and LVTO (Low Visibility Take Off) eligible flights for some Pilots were not rostered. flights and thus they failed to follow the instructions issued…. A fine of Rs 30 lakh each was imposed on both the airlines for violation and non-compliance of rules, a DGCA official said in a statement.
Delhi airport officials had said that 58 IGIA-bound flights were diverted between midnight of December 24 and 28, 2023. “Of these, 50 flights were diverted (see list) as their captains were not trained to operate in low visibility conditions,” airport sources had said. After this, DGCA confirmed this with the data of airlines and air traffic control.
“…We are in for an unusually bad fog season (in northern India).” “Additionally, the unfortunately timely closure of one of Delhi’s two ‘low visibility’ runways for repairs has significantly impacted the operations of all airlines, resulting in an impact on staff and of course customers,” Wilson said. Is.
“As fog will return in future seasons and airport/airway congestion will increase, our operations team is assessing how to better deal, such as creating a larger pool of CAT3 crew, better roster planning and scheduling Buffers and, where necessary, more. Pre-emptive flight cancellation. In the meantime, I want to acknowledge everyone’s efforts to help our customers in often difficult situations,” he said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on January 17 had imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on SpiceJet and Air India for “failing to comply with instructions regarding rostering of (Cat III) pilots”. DGCA had asked airlines to deploy on November 6, 2023 pilot Trained to take off and land in low visibility during fog. “The data regarding flight delays/cancellations/diversions submitted by scheduled airlines for December 2023 was analyzed in DGCA and it was found that SpiceJet and Air India have reported CAT II/III and LVTO (Low Visibility Take Off) eligible flights for some Pilots were not rostered. flights and thus they failed to follow the instructions issued…. A fine of Rs 30 lakh each was imposed on both the airlines for violation and non-compliance of rules, a DGCA official said in a statement.
Delhi airport officials had said that 58 IGIA-bound flights were diverted between midnight of December 24 and 28, 2023. “Of these, 50 flights were diverted (see list) as their captains were not trained to operate in low visibility conditions,” airport sources had said. After this, DGCA confirmed this with the data of airlines and air traffic control.
