Airlines to reschedule flights during foggy weather

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) The civil aviation ministry has asked all domestic airlines to reschedule their flights in foggy conditions that set in every winter and inform passengers well in advance of changes.

''The government has issued certain guidelines to ensure comfort for passengers during the winter season as flights often get delayed due to foggy conditions in the airport,'' said Director General of Civil Aviation Kanu Gohain.

Airlines have also been asked to provide food and water to passengers stranded at airports if flights get delayed for too long.

This applies to low cost carriers as well, Mr Gohain told reporters today on the sidelines of EU-India Aviation Summit here.

Hundreds of flights get delayed every year during winter, resulting in thousands of passengers getting stranded at north Indian airports. The fog reduces visibility to minimum, making it difficult for aircraft to take off, especially during morning and evening hours.

This year the situation is expected to be no different as most private airlines don't have enough pilots trained in working under category two (CAT-II) and CAT-III systems, which can help airplanes take off or land even under foggy conditions.

Overall, said Mr Gohain, the preparedness of airlines to meet challenges posed by fog is better this year compared to last year.

He said the DGCA office is evaluating the preparedness of the different low-cost carriers and the final picture is expected by the end of this month.

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