Delhi flight disruptions: Aviation minister calls urgent review meeting
The Delhi airport operator said airlines did not heed warnings about disruptions issued four months ago to adjust their flight schedules accordingly
Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu has called an urgent meeting on Monday with the officials of operator Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) amid concerns over flight delays due to a runway closure for up gradation at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), two officials familiar with the matter said.
On Sunday, roughly 68% of all arrivals and departures were delayed. The airport operator said airlines did not heed warnings about disruptions issued four months ago and adjust their flight schedules. Officials have blamed poor planning and months-long miscommunication for the disruptions. One of the airport’s four runways is shut for upgrades during the busy summer travel season.
“An urgent review meeting has been called at 5pm today [Monday] to discuss issues leading to the flight disruptions,” one of the officials said
The closure of Runway 28/10 on April 8 for the upgrade of its Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards to enable operations in low-visibility conditions during the fog season triggered flight delays, pointing to poor planning.
“To bring clarity on the causes behind the ongoing delays, the airport operator has been asked to make a presentation on the recent flight disruptions,” a second official said. The official added that the minister has asked DIAL to present data on delays since the runway closure and delays and diversions since February. “The meeting is meant to review the steps taken so far and discuss further action to ensure timely flight operations,” a third official said.
DIAL and AAI officials managing air traffic control across the country will brief the minister on measures taken to address the chaos at the airport. “They [DIAL and AAI] have submitted their detailed explanations on the issues at Delhi Airport, as asked by the minister. The scheduled meeting aims to find ways to improve passenger experience, not only in Delhi but across the country,” said the third official.
The airport operates four runways, with the newest becoming operational in 2023. On a typical day, the airport handles up to 46 arrivals per hour. Terminal 2 was closed on April 15. The 46,000 passengers and 270,280 flights it handled were being shifted to expanded Terminal 1, which was completely operational on the same day.
