Fog to hit Patna flights this winter too

Patna: The onset of the winter season may send city fliers in a tizzy. The city airport is not equipped with the kind of system which ensures safe landing in foggy conditions, a very common weather phenomenon during winters.
The state capital’s Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport still operates with the CAT-I landing instrument which is effective only if the fog cover is very thin.
Incidentally, many other airports of the country have already installed CAT-II and CAT-III systems which enhance ground visibility to a great extent. The lack of an advanced landing system generally leads to flight delays or in some cases even their cancellation.
An official of a private airlines even admitted that many passengers, who otherwise prefer air travel, opt for trains during winters as most of the flights either get delayed or are cancelled due to foggy conditions in the city.
AAI Patna director Atul Dikshit told TOI on Thursday that the problem has more to do with other factors than the non-availability of modern equipment.
07/12/07 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Dec 2007