A wake-up call to airports after ‘dog-hit’

Bangalore: The freak instance of a dog crossing a plane at the HAL airport on Thursday night comes as a strong and timely eye-opener to the new airport operator, weeks before Bangalore transits to the Devanahalli airport.
“This incident must be a warning to the new operator, who should start double-checking the necessary safety standards well in time” by the launch date of May 11, one official said.
BIAL, the builder and operator of the new Bengaluru International Airport 40 km away in predominantly rural Devanahalli, said it has put in place stringent security measures at the operational or airside, as per the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. This was to contain entry of any unauthorised personnel or stray animals on the airside and ensure smooth and safe movement of aircraft at all times, it said in response to a query.
Officials who have served for a couple of decades at the HAL-owned airport concurred that a ‘dog on the runway’ instance had never happened in Bangalore, though the airport has been dogged by the canine menace.
29/03/08 Business Line

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Categories: Airports Mar 2008, Safety Mar 2008