DGCA working with Met department to avert delays due to fog

New Delhi: Fliers can expect minimum inconvenience during this fog season as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is monitoring the situation with its officials on the ground. The regulator has also ordered all airlines to fly only CAT-IIIequipped aircraft in morning hours with crew trained in handling the instrument landing system. DGCA officials are monitoring the treatment being given to passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled, an airline executive said. "There have not been any instance of the DGCA officials intervening anywhere yet, but they are monitoring the situation closely." The regulator is also monitoring the coordination among airlines, airport operators and air traffic control, the executive said. "The meteorological department's prediction is being updated every hour and they have been exact till today. Since the operations in the mornings are run by CAT-III-equipped planes and trained pilots, the chances of delay or diversion can only come if there is zero visibility at the airport," he said.

The DGCA, after a huge list of diversions and delays last year, had asked the met department to update predictions every hour so that airlines and aviation authorities get time to prepare. The DGCA had formed a technical committee last year to suggest ways to improve operations during fog, after the Delhi airport saw about 60 diversions in a day taking the total number of diversions for the fog season in 2013 to 143, compared with 89 in 2012 and 57 in 2011.
24/12/14 Economic Times

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Categories: Airports Dec 2014, Indian Aviation- In General Dec 2014