Flight operations almost normal on 1st day of AAEU strike

Kolkata, Mar 12 (UNI) Flights remained almost normal at NSCBI airport on the first day of the indefinite strike today called by the Airport Authorities Employees' Union (AAEU).

Airport sources said that till 1000 hrs, 35 flights departed from Kolkata, including one international flight, for different destinations, while 15 arrived here.

''There has not been any diversion of flights and no overflying flights had been affected either,'' Air Traffic Control sources told UNI.

An Air India spokeperson said, ''All morning flights left as per schedule, including those to Mumbai, Delhi, Port Blair, Agartala, Yangon, Dibrugarh and Guwahati.'' However, with the flight information board, which shows the status of flights, giving no information, passengers had to face a lot of inconvenience.

Since the coveyor belt that carried registered baggage for passengers arriving at the airport, also remained inoperative, it added to the difficulties of the passengers.

Airlines officials have advised all passengers, taking flights during the strike period, to carry only light baggage and preferably hand baggage. Even the cleaning staff of the airport remained absent during today's strike.

Altogether, 30 Indian Air Force personnel had been deployed at the airport from midnight last night to cope with the situation.

They are aiding the airport authorities in marshalling flights, in groud operations and safety services.

Meanwhile, AAEU supporters squatted in front of the national airport division building as a part of their demonstration.

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