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Flight services hit by downpour

Nedumbassery: A large number of passengers at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) were stranded at the departure area of the international terminal early on Friday when the computer system of the emigration wing and various airlines malfunctioned due to flooding of the floors following heavy rain in the area last night.

The passengers in the arrival area of the international terminal were also affected. A portion of the arrival hall of the international terminal was converted for departure procedures.

The services of seven airlines were delayed by one to two hours by the unprecedented rain.

The delay affected the passengers who had to catch connection flights.

The Emirates flight EK 533 to Dubai (04.35 hrs) left at 06.45 hrs, Air India AI 691 to Mumbai left (04.30) at 05.30 hrs, Kuwait Airways KU 352 to Kuwait (05.35) left at 07.30 hrs, Indian IC 974 to Chennai left (05.45) at 07.35 hrs, Gulf Air GF 271 to Bahrain (06.20) left at 07.30 hrs, Oman Air WY 828 to Muscat (07.15) left at 08.35 hrs, Qatar Airways QR 265 to Doha left (08.05) at 09.15 hrs.

In the rain, the emigration clearance procedure came to a standstill as the UPS, switchboards and the computer system of the emigration wing were damaged.

Airport Director A.C.K. Nair, officials of departments such as emigration, Central Industrial Security Force, CIAL and officials of various airlines worked on a war footing to make temporary arrangements, including check-in counters and emigration counters, for clearance at the arrival area of the international terminal.

Mr. Nair said coordinated efforts of the departments helped in restoring the services within a couple of hours. He said the flooding of the terminal was due to maintenance works on the terminal building and clogging of the drainage system.

CIAL MD Sreeram Bharat, in a release, said that in the downpour a blockage occurred on the rooftop drainage system of the international terminal which resulted in the rainwater entering the terminal area.

Due to accumulation of water, functioning of the communication network was affected and as a precautionary measure, some of the cables were switched off.

As an alternative measure, a part of the international arrival immigration hall was partitioned, sanitised and cordoned off and operated for departure and immigration activities and the same were normalised in due course.

He added that CIAL authorities in association with the immigration departments and the National Informatics centre (NIC) restored the system by afternoon.

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