Surat: Three airlines operating flights to and from Surat have either cancelled flights or reduced frequency owing to adverse weather conditions. Altogether seven flights have been cancelled in the past few days causing major inconveniences for the passengers.
In last one week alone, Air India, Spice jet and Indigo flights to Delhi, Bengaluru, Goa, Kolkata, Hyderabad have either been cancelled for a specific period or have curtailed frequency.
This comes as a setback for the airport that has been buzzing with activities in the past one year after a large number of domestic destinations got air connectivity to and from the city. Passenger traffic also went up to 1.5 lakh per month which was a win-win situation both for the city as well as the airline operators.
Chairman of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) airport committee, Manoj Singapuri said, “These cancellation or curtailment looks more due to rotational issues of aircraft due to the winter conditions. When a flight scheduled for Surat from Delhi in the early morning hours is unable to take off due to heavy fog, it affects the whole schedule of the aircraft which may be covering six other destinations before returning to its base at Delhi at night.”
Singapuri also added that the disruption has nothing to do with business or occupancy. “We are aware that flights operating to and from Surat run with 80 per cent load and there is no other reason but pollution levels,” he said, adding that even Surat doesn’t have category III lights to operate in hazy and adverse conditions. “So, if a pilot finds it difficult to land safely, he doesn’t land and returns back,” he added.
13/01/20 Times of India
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In last one week alone, Air India, Spice jet and Indigo flights to Delhi, Bengaluru, Goa, Kolkata, Hyderabad have either been cancelled for a specific period or have curtailed frequency.
This comes as a setback for the airport that has been buzzing with activities in the past one year after a large number of domestic destinations got air connectivity to and from the city. Passenger traffic also went up to 1.5 lakh per month which was a win-win situation both for the city as well as the airline operators.
Chairman of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) airport committee, Manoj Singapuri said, “These cancellation or curtailment looks more due to rotational issues of aircraft due to the winter conditions. When a flight scheduled for Surat from Delhi in the early morning hours is unable to take off due to heavy fog, it affects the whole schedule of the aircraft which may be covering six other destinations before returning to its base at Delhi at night.”
Singapuri also added that the disruption has nothing to do with business or occupancy. “We are aware that flights operating to and from Surat run with 80 per cent load and there is no other reason but pollution levels,” he said, adding that even Surat doesn’t have category III lights to operate in hazy and adverse conditions. “So, if a pilot finds it difficult to land safely, he doesn’t land and returns back,” he added.
13/01/20 Times of India
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