Lok Sabha Question No. 1832 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-11
Subject: Delayed Flights
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sudheer Gupta, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Shrirang Appa Barne, Chandra Sekhar Sahu

1832.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1832 (To be answered on the February 2021) I1th

## DELA YED FLIGHTS

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether a large number of domestic and international flights of various public and private sector airlines are delayed/cancelled due to dense during the current winter season and if so, the details thereof; fog
- (c) whether there is a shortage ofpilots in the country who are trained to fly under foggy condition and if s0, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; (d) the totai number of passengers who were severely affected by cancellation of these flights;
- (b) the losses incurred by various airlines as a result thereof; airline-wise during the said period;
- (e) whether any alternative arrangements was made for these passengers for travelling to their desired destination and if s0, the details thereof; and (f) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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 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. fog

(b) As a result of dense airlines have to re-schedule and sometimes cancel fog,

- the flights: This adversely impacts the efficiency of the airlines. It is difficult to evaluate the exact loss due to dense fog
- (d) Total number of passengers affected due to cancellation of flights, during November-December 2020 are as follows:
- (c) There is no shortage of pilots in the country who are approved for low visibility operations
- (f) The various initiatives taken by Airports Authority of India(AAI DGCA to obviate/ minimise problems faced various airlines in taking off and landing during dense conditions include:by fog\_
- (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.
- () Installation of CAT-iIIB Instrument Landing System (ILS) at major airports to enable suitably equipped aircraft to operate in low visibility / during season. fog
- (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:
- (ii) Installation and upgradation of radio navigation aids (ILS; VORDME) and surveillance system at various airports for instrument (based) landing; take-off and ground movement thus facilitating operations in lower; visibility conditions.
- (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:
- (vi) In order to ensure that flight services should not disrupted due to 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 s0 as to avoid disruption of approved schedule. fog, get
- (v) RNP (Required Navigation Performance) approaches have been introduced at airports for continued access to airports.

Month

Number of passenger affected

November 2020

14062

December 2020

28974

In response to part (a) of Lok Sabha USQ 1832 for 11.02.2021 regarding 'Delayed Flight"

## Annexure

| Airlines   | Number of Flights Cancelled   | Number of Flights Cancelled   | Number of Flights Delayed   | Number of Flights Delayed   |
|------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|            | Nov-20                        | Dec-20                        | Nov-20                      | Dec-20                      |
| Air India  | 170                           | 97                            | 333                         | 563                         |
| Air Asia   | 22                            | 20                            | 79                          | 229                         |
| Go Air     | 0                             | 25                            | 303                         | 492                         |
| IndiGo     | 350                           | 439                           | 283                         | 699                         |
| Spicejet_  | 90                            | 139_                          | 260                         | 707                         |
| Vistara    | 16                            | 66                            | 113                         | 313                         |