'Share real-time information': DGCA issues SOPs for airlines amid flight delays, cancellations due to fog

Facing flak for flight delays and chaos at the Delhi Airport, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday issued standard operating procedures for the airlines. It asked the airlines to publish accurate real-time information regarding delays in their flights due to fog. The regulator said that this information shall be published on the website of the airline, and the passengers should be informed through SMS/ WhatsApp and email.

Also read: 'No flights took off for 5 hrs': EazyDiner founder blasts DGCA for closing Delhi airport's main runway during fog season

The regulator also asked airlines to display updated information regarding flight delays to passengers waiting at the airports and conduct appropriate sensitisation of the airline staff at the airports to suitably communicate with and continuously guide and inform the passengers about flight delays.

"In view of the prevalent fog season and adverse weather conditions, airlines may cancel, sufficiently in advance, such flights that are anticipated to be delayed or consequentially delayed on account of such conditions beyond a period of 3 hours with a view to obviate congestion at the airport and mitigate passenger inconvenience," it said. 

Also read: 'All 3 operational runways handling flights': DGCA denies claim that only 1 runway is functioning at Delhi Airport

The DGCA said it has issued the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) to ensure appropriate protection for air travelers in case of flight disruptions and, in particular, denied boardings, flight cancellations, and delays without due notice to the passengers booked on the flights. "The airlines are also required to publish the reference of the CAR on the flight tickets," the regulator said. 

The SOPs come just a day after several passengers took to social media to flag long delays in flight take-off and landing, and cancellations. EazyDiner founder Kapil Chopra claimed that the Delhi Airport had only one operational runway due to which there was a huge delay in take-off. "Delhi airport has 4 runways, guess how many are operational? One. Yes. And guess what, the operational runway does not have CAT 3, so cannot operate in fog. No flights took off for 5 hours," he said. 

Also read: Scindia directs Delhi Airport for swift operationalisation of 4th runway, warns of action against unruly passenger

Chopra slammed the civil aviation ministry and the regulator for the chaos at the airport. "The main runway with CAT 3 which allows landing in close to zero visibility also is under maintenance from 15th December. But the sleeping mandarins in @DGCAIndia and @Officejmscindia don’t know this!"  

The regulator, however, said that all three operational runways at the Delhi Airport including a CAT III runway were handling flight operations as per their capabilities on Sunday. It, however, admitted that they were operational with reduced capacity due to intense fog.