7-month ban on new flights to Delhi, Mumbai airports

New Delhi: There will be no new flights to and from Delhi and Mumbai over the coming seven months. The Government has decided to freeze at the existing levels the number of flights that can be operated by domestic airlines from these two airports during the forthcoming summer season.
Contemplated in the wake of increasing congestion at these two airports, the ban would apply to any new flight that an airline wants to operate during the peak hours.
The decision to freeze the number of flights at the existing levels was taken at a meeting the Secretary, Civil Aviation, Mr Ashok Chawla, had with senior airline officials. Top officials of Air Sahara, SpiceJet and Jet Airways were present at the meeting.
Justifying the decision, senior Government officials said that Delhi and Mumbai airports cannot handle more than 30 flights an hour.
Another measure under consideration to mitigate the congestion problem is to allow Delhi airport to increase to four hours in the morning the time during which simultaneous use of both runways would be permitted.
At Mumbai, the airport operator plans to allow the use of the cross runway soon, that should also help in easing the problems airines face while flying from and to the city.
20/03/07 Business Line

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Categories: Airports Mar 2007, General Aviation Mar 2007