Crowded skies: 2 go-arounds in 2 days

Mumbai: A Jet Airways flight, which was on its final approach to land at Mumbai airport on Friday, was asked to abort landing and do a go-around after a Spice Jet aircraft standing on the runway started rolling for take-off.
While go-arounds have now become a regular occurrence in the congested Mumbai airport, this one was a serious matter as there were two aircraft, both climbing in the same direction, albeit from different altitudes. Hours before this incident, on the same day, a GoAir aircraft landed on a closed runway. On Saturday afternoon there was another go-around at the Mumbai airport, this time involving a Kingfisher Airlines and an Air India flight.
The Friday incident involving the Jet and SpiceJet flights had the aviation fraternity divided as far as the threat perception was concerned.
General manager of the aerodrome, M G Junghare said, "A laid-down procedure is followed for a go-around and at no point is the safety of the aircraft compromised." Airline spokespersons of Jet Airways and Spice Jet are yet to comment. Junghare said that the Saturday afternoon case of the Kingfisher Airlines flight being asked to do a go-around happened as an Air India flight had delayed in vacating the runway.
The ministry of civil aviation too has been telling the general public that such instances—like aborted landings, go-arounds—are "simple safety procedures carried out the world over".
06/04/08 Manju V/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Apr 2008, Jet Airways Apr 2008, SpiceJet Apr 2008