Chennai floods: Flight services hit, airport shut till tomorrow

Chennai, Dec 2: Flight services in and out of Chennai Airport will remain suspended till Thursday morning due to the heavy rains and water logging on the runway.

The airports Authority of India has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) to all air operators in this regard, AAI spokesperson said here. Chennai Airport authorities had initially shut operations till Wednesday morning but due to incessant rains it has now decided to extend it till 6 AM till Thursday, Dec 3.

Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notice containing information concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any facility, service or procedure, among others, in airspace management. All airlines have cancelled their operations from Chennai airport.

Spicejet has cancelled all its flights till tomorrow, while Jet Airways has cancelled all its flights to and from Chennai for today. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju said everything has been paralysed at the airport.

"A lot of things are stranded at the airport. So the chairman of Airport Authority has tried to develop a plan to make available some essential material like drinking water, and food...staff is also trying. Everything is paralysed," he said.

Asked when the flights can resume, he said, "If the rain stops then only we can give you some type of time frame but if it won't stop then we can't say anything as Chennai and neighbouring districts are badly affected. If water recedes then only we will be able to to do something".

PTI