DGCA issues show cause notices to Kingfisher, Go Air and Air India
12 Nov 2009
Expressing ignorance of the ban on operations on shortened runways if they are wet, an Air Traffic Control, (ATC) official said 23 flights had landed and 17 had taken off on the runway when it rained in Mumbai as they were not informed about the DGCA's orders.
He said that two DGCA officials had also been stationed at the airport to observe flight operations and they allowed the operations to continue until the Kingfisher flight skidded off the tarmac.
According to the official, the only communication that DGCA had with ATC was on Friday when it sanctioned the 'localiser apporach' of landing and there was no communication after that regarding runway operations on Tuesday. He added that traffic controllers should have been made aware of the instructions to make them binding on airlines.
A Mumbai International Airport Ltd, (MIAL) spokesperson also denied receiving any circular or intimation from the DGCA.
Pending investigations, besides the six pilots from three airlines, a traffic controller and a surface movement centre staffer at the airport have also been derostered.
The civil aviation authority also issued a showcause notice to Kingfisher, Air India and Go Air for violation of instructions, insisting that it had served clear instructions to all airlines and the MIAL to desist from operating flights on a wet shortened runway.