DGCA charge-sheets four airlines for ignoring Goa airport curfew
12 Apr 2011
New Delhi: Four of India's biggest airlines have been asked to explain why their aircraft have been landing in Goa at certain times of the day despite an advisory that radar systems guiding landings were not functional at that point of time.
Kingfisher, GoAir, JetLite and Jet Airways have been given a period of 48 hours by the Indian aviation regulator, the Directorate general of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to explain this violation.
According to the DGCA, it informed all airlines on 1 April that the airport would be off-limits from 3 to 5:30 pm because a radar system was being repaired.
As a result, the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), a crucial navigational aid, would not be available for pilots, who would then have to perform "blind landings." In such a manoeuvre pilots would have to gauge distances and heights before touchdown on their own.
According to sources the Goa airport sees atleast 45 take-off and landings.
"Despite our warnings to respect the curfew hours, some airlines have violated this directive. They will have to pay for it. We will take action", DGCA chief EK Bharat Bhushan informed media sources.
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