Fliers taxiing woes at IGI may end soon
The long taxiing time taken by domestic flights using the new runway at IGI airport will hopefully see an end soon.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The mixed mode use of runways, under which domestic flights will use the main runway and international flights will use the new runway, will be fully implemented by October 23, bringing an end to the extra 25-30 minutes that domestic fliers spent on ground before their flights took off.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the civil aviation ministry had proposed this system due to the inconvenience being faced not just by domestic airlines but also by passengers.
Trial runs started last month and sources said the ministry wanted it in place before the winter fog sets in. Civil aviation secretary M N Nambiar said, ������Passenger convenience is paramount and this will make a huge difference in airline operations. At present, the system works till lunch time but by October 23, we are hoping to have it work through the day.������
At present, with one runway used for arrival and the other for departure, domestic airlines have to taxi for a good 9 km extra. Since the taxiway connecting the two runways is only towards the Dwarka side, domestic airlines that needed to take off from the new runway towards the Dwarka side were spending at least 25 minutes taxiing to that point in good weather and 40 minutes during poor visibility.
������While the new runway eased congestion to a large extent in Delhi , domestic airlines were not really benefiting due to the long taxiing time involved in using the runway. The new process will also reduce congestion ,������ said a civil aviation ministry official.
However, sources in the ATC say the new mode of operations may not be fully used during winter when visibility falls due to the fog.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the civil aviation ministry had proposed this system due to the inconvenience being faced not just by domestic airlines but also by passengers.
Trial runs started last month and sources said the ministry wanted it in place before the winter fog sets in. Civil aviation secretary M N Nambiar said, ������Passenger convenience is paramount and this will make a huge difference in airline operations. At present, the system works till lunch time but by October 23, we are hoping to have it work through the day.������
At present, with one runway used for arrival and the other for departure, domestic airlines have to taxi for a good 9 km extra. Since the taxiway connecting the two runways is only towards the Dwarka side, domestic airlines that needed to take off from the new runway towards the Dwarka side were spending at least 25 minutes taxiing to that point in good weather and 40 minutes during poor visibility.
������While the new runway eased congestion to a large extent in Delhi , domestic airlines were not really benefiting due to the long taxiing time involved in using the runway. The new process will also reduce congestion ,������ said a civil aviation ministry official.
However, sources in the ATC say the new mode of operations may not be fully used during winter when visibility falls due to the fog.
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