ROURKELA: Amid a forecast of dense fog and prevailing low visibility in Rourkela, Alliance Air (AA) has reportedly suspended its ATR-72 daily flight on the Rourkela-Bhubaneswar route and tri-weekly flight on the Rourkela-Kolkata route till January 7, 2024.
AA sources said flight operations had been suspended from December 26 due to poor visibility which has further been extended till January 7, 2024. They said once the visibility condition improves regular flight service would resume.
Rourkela Airport owned by the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL is authorised for VFR (Visual Flight Rules) operation in which aircraft landing is allowed with visibility of 5,000 metres or more.
Former general secretary of Steel Executives’ Federation of India (SEFI) Bimal Bisi said amid frequent cancellations of flights since the launching of the ATR-72 operation on January 7, 2023 passengers are increasingly growing apprehensive about the continuation of flight service to Rourkela.
Bisi said he was informed by airport sources that flights would resume from January 10 after activation of the Approach Control Unit which would enable landing with visibility of 1,500 metres or more. Presently visibility is remaining around 3,500 metres, he added.