Errant airlines risk losing peak-hour slots

New Delhi: The aviation ministry has issued stern warning to airlines whose flights get unduly delayed. Both JetLite and Air Deccan — found to be slack — operate from the nearly choked Terminal-1B. On the other hand, "good performers" operate from the spacious Terminal-1A where queues for everything — baggage X-ray, check-in, security and boarding — are much shorter, an official pointed out.
The aviation ministry is going to call airlines for a meeting on this issue once it gets a report from Mumbai where a similar study is under way.
Ever since the controversy over congestion surcharge, aviation minister Praful Patel is learnt to have asked agencies like DGCA to study the issue of overcrowded skies in Delhi and Mumbai. While airport infrastructure is woefully inadequate in both cities, airlines not sticking to schedules were found to be compounding the problem.
The government chose the 6 am to 8 am slot for the study as all departing flights are already on the ground and any delays could easily be attributed to airlines' 'inefficiency'. ATC officials say if a flight has to leave on time, its doors must close 15 minutes before scheduled time of departure.
10/08/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: General Aviation Aug 2007