Fog delays departure of 10 flights from Kolkata airport

Fog delays departure of 10 flights from Kolkata airport

The departure of at least 10 flights, scheduled to take off from Kolkata airport, was delayed due to dense fog on Wednesday, Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said.

However, there was no delay in the arrival of flights as the aircraft landed during low visibility procedures (LVP), they said.

LVP was implemented from 3.40 am to 7.40 am, an AAI spokesperson said.

The ATC declares LVP when visibility falls below 800 metres, after which 'follow-me' vehicles guide aircraft to their stands, a top Airports Authority of India (AAI) official in Kolkata said. The LVP is also activated when the cloud ceiling is below 200 feet.

The procedure involves coordination among the airport operator, air traffic control (ATC), and pilots to manage flights safely and minimise disruptions. These ensure that aircraft are able to land, taxi, and take off safely, using advanced navigation systems and ground lighting.

On Wednesday, 12 incoming flights to Kolkata and 26 flights departing from the city operated during LVP.

The spokesperson said that no incoming or outgoing flights were cancelled due to the bad weather nor were there any diversions.

Dense fog at the airport disrupted flight operations on many occasions this winter.

Flight operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were disrupted for three consecutive days from January 23 to 25 due to dense fog, affecting the schedules of airlines and causing inconvenience to passengers.

A total of 72 flights were affected on January 23, 34 flights on January 24, while 53 flights were affected on January 25.