HYDERABAD: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) will not have a separate war room, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) officials told TNIE on Thursday. The Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) will continue to oversee all flight movements, engage with stakeholders, and take measures to minimise disruptions, they added.
Against the backdrop of the cascading effect of the recent fog on flight operations in the country, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced the setting up of ‘war rooms’ by airports and airline operators at Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai on January 16.
As per figures provided by the Airport, 35 flights were diverted and 28 flights were cancelled at RGIA between December 25 of last year and January 20 due to visibility issues at other airports. The officials maintained that no disruptions originated in Hyderabad.
In response to queries raised by TNIE, GHIAL said that airlines and ground handling representatives work in close proximity on various matters and regular briefings are done to ensure effective communication. In the event of disruptions, related issues are promptly escalated to senior officials, they added.
It is important to recall that furious passengers had accused the airlines and the airports of unsatisfactory communication. When quizzed about the Airport’s action plan to address their woes, Airport officials informed that they are “proactively” engaged with the airlines and will provide necessary assistance to ensure adequate manpower for managing disrupted flights.
According to senior officials, in the event of flight disruptions, relevant departments are immediately notified to supervise arrangements and coordinate with stakeholders to enable customer passage. Additionally, the team coordinates with food and beverage outlets to ensure the comfort of passengers, they added.
Officials further informed that the Airport’s primary runway, 09R (side), is currently being upgraded from CAT-I to CAT-II, thereby decreasing the minimum visibility required for landing from 550m to 350m Runway Visual Range (RVR). Once this is completed, plans for upgrading to CAT-III will be set in motion, they added.
Who can the passengers approach in the event of flight disruptions?
According to GHIAL officials, passengers can approach the Terminal Operations team, Passenger Service Associates (PSAs) or the Guest Relations team. However, for concerns such as retrieval of checked-in baggage, the airlines have to be contacted.