Civil aviation ministry holds fog preparedness meeting for upcoming winter season
New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry held the first Fog Preparedness meeting for the upcoming winter season to review preparedness and coordination among stakeholders for the fog season.
The meeting was headed by civil aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and attended by the director general of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Vir Vikram Yadav, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI) Puneet Kansal, senior officials from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), India Meteorological Department (IMD) along with representatives of Delhi airport and other fog-affected airports and airlines.
The IMD officials stated that the fog season is expected to run from December 15 this year to February 15, 2027.
"The meeting focused on ensuring smooth airport operations and minimising inconvenience to passengers during fog-related disruptions. Emphasis was laid on advance preparedness, timely communication, effective coordination among stakeholders and appropriate assistance to passengers in case of flight delays, cancellations and rescheduling," a release from the government stated.
It also said that the DGCA was emphasised to ensure regulatory oversight, compliance with applicable instructions, verification of aircraft and crew preparedness, and effective passenger facilitation measures by airlines.
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"The AAI and airport operators were directed to ensure the readiness of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and Runway Visual Range (RVR) systems, airside safety, adequate terminal capacity and effective coordination for airport operations during low-visibility conditions," it said.
The airlines, in the meeting, were directed to ensure the availability of qualified crew and compliant aircraft for low visibility operations, plan realistic flight schedules and take timely decisions regarding flight operations, the government stated.
"It was emphasised that passengers should receive timely updates through SMS, mobile applications and email regarding delays, cancellations and revised departure times, so that they don’t reach the airport without adequate information about their flights," the statement read.
It said that the IMD was also directed to ensure reliable weather forecasts, regular observations and timely dissemination of weather updates to facilitate operational planning.
"Air Traffic Control and air navigation service providers were instructed to ensure safe sequencing of air traffic, adherence to low-visibility procedures and coordinated traffic management during fog conditions," the government stated, adding that the role of BCAS and CISF in ensuring safe and orderly passenger movement, including terminal re-entry and re-boarding wherever required, was also discussed.
The government also directed airlines to ensure that their respective ground handlers maintain adequate staffing, ensure efficient baggage management and aircraft turnaround, and provide necessary assistance to passengers during operational disruptions.
"Particular emphasis was laid on passenger facilitation during prolonged delays and cancellations. Preparations to be made to ensure adequate staffing at check-in counters, airline helpdesks and customer care facilities. The Secretary emphasised that airlines need to ensure that their helpline desks at the airports are manned by informed and empowered personnel who can adequately address passenger queries," the government said in its statement.
It said that the collective objective is to minimise passenger inconvenience through advance preparedness, timely information, clear operational decisions and effective passenger assistance during the upcoming fog season.
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