Flights from Mumbai being delayed by new parking bays

Mumbai: A new apron at Mumbai airport, opened two weeks ago to increase parking space, has thrown off schedules of several domestic airlines. Situated four km from the domestic terminal, ferrying passengers on morning flights to the apron, Lima, takes a good 25 minutes – 10 minutes more than it did before to get to the apron near the international terminal.
When the buses need to make more than one trip, the delay is especially high. “This has a cascading effect on our schedules,” said one source.
To make up for this delay, the airlines are now requesting passengers to report a full two hours before their flights.
“In morning peak hours there is a large queue at security check as well. “We hope that if passengers come in earlier, we will be able to reduce the delays,” said an airline official.
Except Air India, all domestic airlines have been allotted night parking in the new apron, situated on the Kalina side near Kalpana cinema. Around 4-6 planes are parked here every night.
Interestingly, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) had objected to the opening of the apron, as planes parked there have to cross the active runway both on arrival and for take-off.
29/04/10 Aneesh Phadnis/Mumbai Mirror

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Categories: Airports Apr 2010