The Hindu : New Delhi News : Several flights delayed, some diverted

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Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Several flights delayed, some diverted

Staff Reporter

Because of strong winds and rain at IGI Airport

‘Extra precautions are taken for the aircraft while landing’

NEW DELHI: Several flights were delayed and some diverted from Indira Gandhi International Airport here over the weekend because of strong winds and rain.

Approach path

In all, four flights had to be diverted: three to Lucknow and one to Jaipur. With gusty winds blowing between 6-30 p.m. and 7-45 p.m. on Sunday evening, the flight movement was slightly affected.

There were some flights that were asked to go round the airport because just as the planes were about to land and reach the approach path, the wind direction changed.

They were asked to break approach and come from the other side of the runway, sources said on Monday.

“We faced some delays. But there were no major problems or diversions in our flights,” claimed an Indian Airlines official.

Flight schedule

A Jet Airways spokesperson also said that their flight schedule was affected on Sunday evening, but that there were not too many delays.

On the measures taken due to harsh weather conditions, an official of Air Traffic Control said: “Whenever the weather conditions are bad, normally the primary runway (10-28) is used since it is better equipped in terms of instrument landing system and has greater length. Besides, both the runways are used only when there is enough visibility for that during evenings.”

Runway surface

“When the runway surface is wet because of rains or there are heavy winds, extra precautions are taken for the aircraft while landing and it may take a longer time to land than usual, thereby impacting the movement of other planes,” he explained.

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