NEW DELHI: Technical flights have started from rain-hit Chennai airport where operations were suspended on Wednesday following flooding but it may take 2-3 days to resume commercial flights, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma said today.
Airports Authority of India, which runs the Chennai airport, said that restoration of airport systems, communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) equipment, IT systems, Met equipment is in progress to resume IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) operations for all flights.
IFR is one of the two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations.
"We started technical flights from Chennai airport. But we are unable to resume commercial flights as the basement of the airport is still waterlogged and power supply of the terminal building has not been restored completely.
"It might take at least 2-3 days to clear the airport for operations," Sharma, who is the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said.
He said four commercial flights operated from the Rajali Naval air station. Two flights of Indigo and one each of Spicejet and Trujet evacuated 319 people from there.
Today, four ferry flights that were parked at Chennai airport departed for Delhi, Mumbai and Port Blair. One cargo flight Singcargo B747 also departed for Singapore via Bangalore.
A total 34 aircraft of various airlines were stranded at the airport due to flooding caused by torrential rains.
Chennai airport had suspended flights till Sunday in the wake of floods. It was yesterday declared fit for operating technical ferry and relief flights.
05/12/15 Kaumudi Online
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Airports Authority of India, which runs the Chennai airport, said that restoration of airport systems, communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) equipment, IT systems, Met equipment is in progress to resume IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) operations for all flights.
IFR is one of the two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations.
"We started technical flights from Chennai airport. But we are unable to resume commercial flights as the basement of the airport is still waterlogged and power supply of the terminal building has not been restored completely.
"It might take at least 2-3 days to clear the airport for operations," Sharma, who is the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said.
He said four commercial flights operated from the Rajali Naval air station. Two flights of Indigo and one each of Spicejet and Trujet evacuated 319 people from there.
Today, four ferry flights that were parked at Chennai airport departed for Delhi, Mumbai and Port Blair. One cargo flight Singcargo B747 also departed for Singapore via Bangalore.
A total 34 aircraft of various airlines were stranded at the airport due to flooding caused by torrential rains.
Chennai airport had suspended flights till Sunday in the wake of floods. It was yesterday declared fit for operating technical ferry and relief flights.
05/12/15 Kaumudi Online
