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Monsoon Hits Mangalore Flights

  •   Sun, Jun 13 2010 08:11:40 AM

Monsoon Hits Mangalore Flights

Mangalore, Jun 13 (DHNS) : For the second consecutive day, flight services were severely affected at Mangalore airport owing to incessant rain lashing Mangalore for the last 48 hours. Only two out of nine flights could land on Saturday.

The first flight of the day—Air India Express IX-812 Dubai-Mangalore which was scheduled to arrive at Mangalore at 6:30 am—was diverted to Kochi. As a result, passengers  and their kin at the airport had no choice but to wait for the aircraft to get ATC clearance to land. But that did not happen till night due to inclement weather.

The same flight was supposed to return to Abu Dhabi via Muscat (IX-817) at 9:20 am and return in the evening via Muscat to Mangalore (IX-818) at 7:05 pm and again return to Dubai from Mangalore (IX-811) at 9:35 pm.

As the flight was stranded at Kochi airport, subsequent flights were cancelled,
disappointing hundreds of passengers and their kin waiting in the airport. Similarly, the IC-179 Mumbai-Mangalore flight by Indian Airlines which was scheduled to arrive at 10:55 am did not land, but returned to Mumbai after hovering around Mangalore airport for some time.

Three more flights (two belonging to Jet Airways and one to Kingfisher Airlines) that arrived from Mumbai to Mangalore also could not land and had to return to Mumbai. Interestingly, only two aircraft belonging to Jet Airways could land in Mangalore on Saturday and both of them had come from Bangalore (8:15 am and 6:30 pm). Both these aircraft could land because they are ATR aircraft unlike the other bigger aircraft. While Air Bus operates on the Mumbai route, the Boeing 737-800 operates on West Asia route. 

When contacted, Air India Express Station Director Chellam Prasad said that due to bad weather conditions forecast by the Meteorology department in the next 48 hours, the Air India Express services has suspended all its flights on Sunday (June 13).

If all goes well and if the stranded aircraft can take off and land in Mangalore on Sunday, it will take Saturday’s Abu Dhabi-Muscat passengers. “If weather continues to be normal, then Sunday’s Dubai passengers should be able to fly,” she said.

Scheduled flights

Sunday’s flights include IX-812 Dubai-Mangalore flight (arrival at 6.30 am); IX-819 Mangalore-Bahrain-Doha flight (departure at 9 am); IX-389 Calicut-Mangalore flight (arrival at 7.55 pm); IX-389 Mangalore-Kuwait flight (departure at 9 pm); IX-820 Doha-Bahrain-Mangalore flight (arrival at 7.45 pm); and IX-811 Mangalore-Dubai flight (departure at 9.35 pm).

The Instrumentation Landing System at the Mangalore airport was not completely damaged in the May 22 air crash. Whatever little is damaged is yet to be repaired, according to sources. Poor weather conditions have added to the existing woes, said an official. 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Bharath Bhooshan, Karinja

    Mon, Jun 21 2010

    Because there was an accident does not mean there is likelihood of another accident. Looking at it that way is called gamler's folly. One should look at things objectively and plod on. Certainly due care should be taken all the time

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  • Vera Alvares, Mumbai

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    Monsoon cannot hit flights, because modern techonology has equipped the airports into guiding the incoming flights with the ILS ( Instrument Landing System)in case of low visibility.
    I was a passenger on the Jet Connect flight from Mumbai to Mangalore on Saturday and after hovering for nearly and hour we returned to Mumbai without landing.
    The announcemnet by Captain G. Tiwari clearly indicated that the ATC was unwilling to grant landing permission because the ILS which was needed to guide the landing procedure during low visibility was NOT FUNCTIONING!
    An instrument landing system (ILS) is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), such as low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow.
    The ILS in Mangalore had been damaged during the AirIndia crash last month. So why has it not been repaired even after a month?The monsoons in Mangalore would set in any day forcing the incoming aircraft to be totally dependent on the ILS for landing. And it has happened. Many more months of inclement weather and in the absence of the ILS many more flights will not land, just turn around or land elsewhere....
    Why this colossal waste of resources and trauma caused to passengers and their relatives?

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  • Jeet, Mangalore/Dubai

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    it is and should have all weather and a bigger airport in mangalore.
    monsoon will be there that means no flights to mangalore in raining season.
    come on people grow up now.

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  • Harish, Mangalore

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    Keep complaining..

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • KT, Mangalore

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    why you blame AI for your visa problem, why dont you ask the visa issued authority to give you extension with the reason. you will never do, you know what you will get. respect the freedom buddy

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  • Bulsam, Mangalore

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    More sophisticated our airport and the runway becomes more trouble, the pilots feel there are while landing. The new age electronic savvy pilots are pampered beyond the limits hence they are throwing tantrum when they face slight difficulties.
    Ground them and ask these pilots to get more training so that they will in a position to handle the aircrafts during all weather while landing & takeoff. The rules should be tightened on them and they should be stringently checked before piloting the aircraft and the CCTV coverage of the cockpit should be closely examined by the flight safety officials after each flight schedule.
    A pilot of Kingfisher was found allowing a female passenger inside the cockpit while the aircraft is on flight. This shows that the safety measures and captain/pilot disciplines are hardly being implemented.

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  • Alex, Kuwait

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    Now all should understand where the problem is. Bajpe airport is not suitable for monsoon rains landing, because it needs atleast 25% more landing strip for antiskidding because of wet runway.
    Otherwise it is like "pate nathlin railan" or trains without rails.

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  • Anil, surathkal/Dubai

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    With out ILS we are going back to 2005, AAI need to fix ILS ASAP, with out ILS during masoon we will see more of like this situations.

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  • N B, Bajpe

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    Best way to fly by Mumbai / bangalore / Cochi, till other Airline starts Gulf / International service/routs.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • RAGHUVEER, DUBAI/MADANTHYAR

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    BEFORE AIRCRASH EVERY FLIGHTS LANDING IN MONSOON.BUT NOW ATC AND DIRECTOR OF AIRPORT DONT WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE.SAY ITS RIGHT THING? BUT HOW ABOUT PASSENGER WOES ? 1)AIE IS NONREFUNDABLE 2)END MOMENT CANCELL THE FLIGHT PASSENGERS WHERE TO GO ? 3) DID AIRLINES PEOPLE INFORMING THEM ? IF SOMEBODY VISA GOING TO EXPIRE IN 1 DAY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

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  • Jawar D'Souza, Doha M'lore

    Sun, Jun 13 2010

    why cant we have a all weather Airport I think its better to have a new Airport some where near Udupi a much bigger one.

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  • clifford, bejai / abu dhabi

    Sat, Jun 12 2010

    to further add to my woes (as i was supposed to return to dubai yesterday), air india express did not even bother to inform of the cancellation. i wish the airline is more proactive.

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  • Navin, Mangalore

    Sat, Jun 12 2010

    “If weather continues to be normal, then Sunday’s Dubai passengers should be able to fly,” she said.
    This is just nonsense , She told me i can fly only after 2 to 3 days later depending on the next availablility of seats. I cancelled the ticket (i wanted to do it well before) and booked in Kingfisher. As long as i can afford to spend "time" i will use only flights via mumbai or bangalore as the cost remains a little expensive than the air india express.

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