Question : Delayed Flights

(a) whether a large number of domestic and international flights of various public and private sector airlines are delayed/cancelled due to dense fog during the current winter season and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the losses incurred by various airlines as a result thereof, airline-wise during the said period;

(c) whether there is a shortage of pilots in the country who are trained to fly under foggy condition and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(d) the total number of passengers who were severely affected by cancellation of these flights;

(e) whether any alternative arrangements was made for these passengers for travelling to their desired destination and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

(a) The number of the flights delayed and cancelled due to weather, which includes fog and other reasons, in respect of scheduled domestic airlines for the period November-December 2020, as submitted by the airlines is at Annexure-I. So far as scheduled commercial international passenger flights are concerned, these were suspended with effect from 22.03.2020 and international flights are presently being operated only under Vande Bharat Mission and Air Bubble Agreements with various countries.

(b) As a result of dense fog, airlines have to re-schedule and sometimes cancel the flights. This adversely impacts the efficiency of the airlines. It is difficult to evaluate the exact loss due to dense fog.;

(c) There is no shortage of pilots in the country who are approved for low visibility operations.;

(d) Total number of passengers affected due to cancellation of flights, during November-December 2020 are as follows:

Month Number of passenger affected
November 2020 14062
December 2020 28974;

(e) The compensation/ facilities provided by the airlines due to flights delayed and cancelled were as per the provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), Section-3, Series-M, Part-IV which included providing refreshments, rescheduling of flights, providing compensation and transfer to other airline.;

(f) The various initiatives taken by Airports Authority of India(AAI)/ DGCA to obviate/ minimise problems faced by various airlines in taking off and landing during dense fog conditions include:-

(i) Installation of CAT-IIIB Instrument Landing System (ILS) at major airports to enable suitably equipped aircraft to operate in low visibility / during fog season.

(ii) Installation and upgradation of radio navigation aids (ILS, VOR/DME) and surveillance system at various airports for instrument (based) landing, take-off and ground movement thus facilitating operations in lower visibility conditions.

(iii) In order to provide for continued aircraft operations and address the air traffic congestion and consequent delays, the CATFM (Centre Air Traffic Flow Management) system, which balances demand and capacity has been installed at New Delhi.

(iv) LVP (Low Visibility Procedures)/ LVTO (Low Visibility Take-off Procedures) have been incorporated at major airports to enable seamless and safe aircraft operation during fog.

(v) RNP (Required Navigation Performance) approaches have been introduced at airports for continued access to airports.

(vi) In order to ensure that flight services should not get disrupted due to fog, DGCA has issued CAR, Section-3, Series-C, Part-II, titled "Minimum Requirements For Grant Of Permit To Operate Scheduled Passenger Air Transport Services". Under the provision of said CAR, the operators, who do not have ILS Category IIIA/IIIB compliant aircraft in the fleet together with appropriately trained/ rated pilots shall plan their winter fog schedule to/from Delhi from 1000 hours to 2000 hours so as to avoid disruption of approved schedule.