The government Tuesday said flight diversions at the national capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) have been reduced by nearly 36 percent despite longer duration of low visibility period this winter season.
According to data furnished by the Civil Aviation Ministry, flight diversions from Dec 1 2014 to Jan 5 2015 has been reduced from 71 to 45 operations.
The ministry’s data revealed that duration of low visibility period at the IGIA increased in the period under review, the airport witnessed total closure due to zero visibility for almost 30 hours from 15 hours during the corresponding period of last winter.
The analysis of the data showed that the overall flight operations at IGI Airport also increased during low visibility period by nearly 67 percent from 2,808 aircraft movements (both take-off and landing) last winter to 4,683 in the current season.
“This has been possible with better management of flight operations, wherein airlines have been asked to requisition more number of CAT 3B complaint aircraft to and from IGI airport along with adequate number of trained pilots,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Operators have also been advised to reschedule flights of smaller aircraft, between 1000 hrs to 2000 hrs, which are non-CAT 3 compliant, in case the visibility conditions are not favourable.”
(IANS)