In a huge relief to passengers, this year they may not remain holed up inside aircraft for hours, waiting for low visibility to improve at Delhi Airport before takeoff. Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has introduced new guidelines that “allows smooth re-entry of passengers stranded inside aircraft due to weather or technical delays, minimising inconvenience and facilitating smoother re-boarding when flights resume. A drill of the same by stakeholders concerned is also being carried out”, aviation ministry on Wednesday said.
Previously, during foggy conditions at airports like Delhi’s IGIA, passengers faced prolonged waits inside aircraft. Airlines were reluctant to allow passengers to disembark as it necessitated additional security checks and risked losing take-off slots.
During Wednesday’s review of “early onset of fog/smog in NCR”, Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu implemented various measures to ensure “uninterrupted operations and better passenger comfort”. “Chaired a high-level meeting (on Wednesday) to ensure Delhi Airport is ready for the winter season. With a passenger-centric approach, Our preparations for winter challenges are on track,” he said on X. Following a “passenger-centric approach,” he said “real-time coordination between air traffic control, airlines, ground handlers and airport operators to maintain seamless operation”, according to the ministry’s statement.DGCA chief D C Sharma recently instructed airlines to utilise CAT III-compliant aircraft and crew for evening to morning flights at Delhi and other airports with CAT III instrument landing system (ILS) capability. “All airlines have confirmed adherence with DGCA guidelines to deploy CAT II/III compliant aircraft and pilots in Delhi and other fog affected airports. Three out of four runways at Delhi airport have activated CAT III ILS systems,” the statement noted.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) received instructions to “install LED screens at prominent locations to provide real-time updates on visibility conditions and to increase the availability of ‘follow me’ vehicles to guide aircraft during low visibility situations”.
Naidu instructed airlines to actively inform passengers about potential delays and cancellations due to visibility issues and ensure accurate passenger contact details during bookings. “And the flight has to be cancelled if the delay is exceeding three hours… Priority during any such delays/cancellations is proper facilitation of the passengers.”
He additionally “directed that all check-in counters be fully staffed to minimise passenger inconvenience” during peak hours. Aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam, who assessed the situation at IGIA late Monday night, attended the meeting alongside senior officials from DGCA, BCAS, Met department DIAL and airline representatives.
“The preparations for managing visibility-related challenges this winter are moving in the right direction with good progress made in resolving the bottlenecks. The ministry is committed to comfortable air travel with minimised disruptions,” concluded the statement.
