Delhi fog delays flights again

Many flights touching Delhi delayed or redirected

BY A CORRESPONDENT
February 11, 2006

A thick blanket of fog descended in Delhi on Friday, throwing schedules of most airlines haywire.

Many flights to Delhi were redirected to places like Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Jaipur. Indian Airlines flights, by and large, operated according to schedule. The Delhi skies were clear early in the morning, but then the fog enveloped the airport, reducing visibility to less then 50 meters. Indian's first flight took off for Kolkata at 10.45 AM. Those who departed and arrived before 5.00 AM were spared, while others bore the brunt.

The recurring fog in Delhi has been a serious problem facing airlines who do not have pilots trained in CAT IIIB ILS. Only some Indian Airlines pilots are trained to operate in CAT IIIB ILS, which helps the plane take off and land during reduced visibility.

The Centre recently directed private airlines flying to Delhi to get their pilots trained in advanced instrument landing system by next winter, or stay off Delhi airport. Given the time and effort required for this, it looks like a tall order.