Civil Aviation Ministry's Proactive Approach Leads to Significant Decline in Flight Cancellations and Diversions During Fog Period

The civil aviation ministry, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Airports Authority of India (AAI) have taken a proactive approach that has led to a significant decline in flight cancellations and flight diversions during the fog period, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday.

Fewer Cancellations and Diversions Despite Increased Aircraft Movements

This is despite a 22 percent increase in the number of aircraft movements in the past two years, the Minister for Civil Aviation said at the Consultative Committee meeting of his ministry on Friday. The period between December 10 and February 10 each year is usually considered the fog period in India.

Scindia Chairs Consultative Committee Meeting

The meeting chaired by Scindia was also attended by his deputy V K Singh, members of Parliament, and officers from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, AAI, and other related organizations, according to an official release.

Fog as a Weather Phenomenon

Scindia said fog is a weather phenomenon generally confined to a few thousand feet above the ground level, contributing to poor visibility below 1,000 meters, mostly but not limited to northern parts of India during winter, and affects flight operations. During fog conditions, visibility deteriorates due to the presence of water droplets and dust in the layer of air close to the ground.

DGCA's Proactive Measures

Scindia said every year, DGCA undertakes an exercise to ensure that airlines and aerodrome operators take actions to prepare themselves for fog conditions well in advance so that disruptions and services in terms of flight cancellations and diversions are minimized. Towards this end, DGCA engages with all stakeholders to check on the readiness of the required support systems on the ground and the operators regarding aircraft availability and trained crew for operations in CAT II/III conditions.

Availability of Trained Flight Crew

The minister said that as on date, 4,804 flight crew qualified for CAT II/III are available with various airlines, including 2,979 captains and 1,825 co-pilots.

Airports with CAT III Landing Facility

Scindia said there are six airports that have CAT III landing facilities, and flights can land with low runway visual range. He added that CAT I capability will be enabled in eight airports, while facilities will be upgraded from CAT I to CAT II in four airports.

Directives to Airlines During Fog Period

The minister said that during the fog period, airlines are directed to bring changes in their flight schedules to eliminate non-CAT II/CAT III-compliant aircraft from operation. The airlines are also directed to ensure scheduling of CAT II/CAT III qualified crew suitably, he added.

The proactive approach taken by the civil aviation ministry, DGCA, and AAI has significantly reduced flight cancellations and diversions during the fog period, despite an increase in aircraft movements. The implementation of measures such as engaging with stakeholders, ensuring the readiness of support systems, and scheduling qualified crew has contributed to smoother and more reliable air travel during challenging weather conditions.