Airlines want prior info on VIPs, refused

New Delhi: Two "security concerns" ensure that very often when the high and mighty decide to fly, the common man has to suffer inconvenience, either through delayed or diverted flights across India.
While no aircraft is allowed to land three minutes before a VVIP aircraft takes off or lands, another factor unknown to the harried flier is adding to his woes in the name of security.
Apart from origin-destination fuel, airlines carry half-an-hour's hovering fuel for the destination airport and some hovering fuel for the alternate airport. A number of airlines have requested aviation authorities to inform them when VVIP movement is expected so that they can carry more than half-hour's hovering fuel for the destination airport. But citing "security reasons" the information is denied.
Airlines believe that it's cheaper to hover for an hour instead of the regulation 30 minutes at the destination, going to the alternate airport and then flying back. Inconvenience to passenger will also be lesser this way as they don't need to go to a Jaipur or Lucknow instead of landing in Delhi, albeit with a longer than usual delay.
But the aviation authorities' hands are tied as they cannot issue notems (notice to airmen) for a VVIP movement which allows airlines to carry more hovering fuel for destination at the origin airport. "These are security related issues on which we have absolutely no control," a senior official said.
This additional security fear adds up to the misery of passengers and losses of airlines.
08/06/10 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jun 2010