Deploy CAT-3 complaint plane, crew during fog: Directorate General of Civil Aviation to airlines

NEW DELHI: The civil aviation regulator has ordered all the airlines to deploy CAT-III complaint plane and crew trained to fly under low visibility conditions while operating in and out of IGI airport here in the morning to ensure smooth flow of air traffic during fog which led to cancellation of five flights and delay of 70 others today. 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA), which held a meeting today to review the measures taken at the airport here to deal with the fog, also ordered the airlines to reschedule flights with non-CAT-III compliant aircraft in case the visibility conditions are not favorable, officials said. 

The airlines have also been told to inform the passengers much in advance about any change in operations to avoid any inconvenience to them, they said. 

The fog forecast issued by Indian Met Department in the evening every day is analysed, they said, adding this year there were nine diversions during the low visibility procedure (LVP) enforcement period at the IGI Airport as against 16 in the same period last year. 

All the diversions during December 1 to December 23 occurred when the visibility conditions at IGI airport were below (CAT-IIIB parametres) 75 metres, they said. 

Also, there was 66 percent increase in the number of aircraft movements including both arrivals and departure this year over the same period last year during the LVP implementation, they said, attributing it to deployment more number of CAT-III complaint aircraft and CAT-III trained pilots as well as better coordination between the various stakeholders for the higher number of aircraft movement. 

Meanwhile, five flights were cancelled, including four departures, and 70 delayed due to the low visbility at the IGI airport here today. 

The low visbility procedure was implemented at 0029 hrs this morning and lasted till 1744 hrs today, an airport spokesperson said. 

However, no incoming flight was diverted during this period, he said. 

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