40 flights could face minor delays during 2-hr window
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:10.10.2019
Air travellers heading to the airport may have to start earlier than usual to avoid missing their flights on Friday as the road to the airport will be closed because of the movement of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The President’s motorcade will leave the airport around 2.45pm to ITC Grand Chola in Guindy where he will be staying.
Meanwhile, around 40 flights, including arrivals and departures, are likely to face minor delays between 12.30pm and 2.30pm as flight movement will be held up for at least 15 minutes when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will land in his official aircraft at 12.30pm and switch to an Indian Air Force helicopter to fly to Thiruvidanthai helipad on East Coast Road and a Chinese plane will land with the delegates at 1.30pm followed by Xi Jinping’s official aircraft at 2.30pm.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a cautionary notam (notice to airmen) to airlines to expect delays during the movement of the VIP flights. A senior AAI official said, “Arrangements have been made to ensure that there are no delays or hold up because of the VIP aircraft movement. But, we will follow a standard operating procedure, meant to be followed during VIP movement, under which there will be no flight movement till the Prime Minister’s plane and the Chinese President’s plane touch down and move to the apron or parking bay.”
The airport sees around 20 departures and 20 arrivals during non-peak hours in the afternoon. “Passenger flights are not likely to be affected because the planes can reach the apron area in five to six minutes. But helicopter movement may take time. There may be some delays in cargo movement as the cargo flights have been asked to vacate the parking bays or park in a remote bay and remove cargo handling equipment from the area where the VIP planes will be handled or parked.”
An airlines official said, “Pilots are often told to carry 3tonnes to 3.5tonnes of additional fuel needed for diverting to Bengaluru or Kochi if the delay is more. Bengaluru is the alternative airport for Chennai but, under such circumstances because of dual VIP movement, pilots will carry enough fuel to go to Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram in case Bengaluru suffers congestion.”
The AAI official said the schedule has been arranged in such a way that there will no need for rescheduling though airlines have been asked to alert passengers.
HIGH PROFILE VISIT: Airports Authority of India has issued a cautionary notam (notice to airmen) to airlines to expect delays during the movement of VIP flights on Friday
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:10.10.2019
Air travellers heading to the airport may have to start earlier than usual to avoid missing their flights on Friday as the road to the airport will be closed because of the movement of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The President’s motorcade will leave the airport around 2.45pm to ITC Grand Chola in Guindy where he will be staying.
Meanwhile, around 40 flights, including arrivals and departures, are likely to face minor delays between 12.30pm and 2.30pm as flight movement will be held up for at least 15 minutes when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will land in his official aircraft at 12.30pm and switch to an Indian Air Force helicopter to fly to Thiruvidanthai helipad on East Coast Road and a Chinese plane will land with the delegates at 1.30pm followed by Xi Jinping’s official aircraft at 2.30pm.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a cautionary notam (notice to airmen) to airlines to expect delays during the movement of the VIP flights. A senior AAI official said, “Arrangements have been made to ensure that there are no delays or hold up because of the VIP aircraft movement. But, we will follow a standard operating procedure, meant to be followed during VIP movement, under which there will be no flight movement till the Prime Minister’s plane and the Chinese President’s plane touch down and move to the apron or parking bay.”
The airport sees around 20 departures and 20 arrivals during non-peak hours in the afternoon. “Passenger flights are not likely to be affected because the planes can reach the apron area in five to six minutes. But helicopter movement may take time. There may be some delays in cargo movement as the cargo flights have been asked to vacate the parking bays or park in a remote bay and remove cargo handling equipment from the area where the VIP planes will be handled or parked.”
An airlines official said, “Pilots are often told to carry 3tonnes to 3.5tonnes of additional fuel needed for diverting to Bengaluru or Kochi if the delay is more. Bengaluru is the alternative airport for Chennai but, under such circumstances because of dual VIP movement, pilots will carry enough fuel to go to Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram in case Bengaluru suffers congestion.”
The AAI official said the schedule has been arranged in such a way that there will no need for rescheduling though airlines have been asked to alert passengers.
HIGH PROFILE VISIT: Airports Authority of India has issued a cautionary notam (notice to airmen) to airlines to expect delays during the movement of VIP flights on Friday
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