14 diversions as smog adds to runway trouble

Mumbai: Flights were suspended for nearly four hours this afternoon as heavy smog brought runway visibility down to 1800 m; the requirement is 2000 m. In all, 14 incoming flights were diverted to other airports.
Furthermore, it was a Tuesday and the intersection of the cross-runways was shut for repairs. An airport spokesperson said repairs began at 12.24 pm and operations at the shortened runway, 27 Alpha, began at 1.02. All operations were stopped at 2.07 pm as visibility fell, resuming only at 6.01, nearly four hours later.
The shortened runway saw just 19 movements against a Tuesday average of 54. The diverted flights comprised nine of Jet Airways (including two of JetLite) and five Kingfisher flights. Seven Mumbai-bound flights were diverted to Ahmedabad, one each to Bangalore and Aurangabad, and three to Pune airport, which itself diverted two flights.
Resumption of operations left the airspace congested. General delays could not be ascertained immediately as the entire schedule had gone haywire. Airlines clubbed some departures to make up. Jet combined three flights on the Delhi-Mumbai route into an Airbus A330, usually used for international flights.
09/12/09 Express India

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Categories: Airports Dec 2009