The notice was issued after more than 50 Delhi airport-bound flights were diverted due to low visibility on December 24, 25 and December 27-28, according to the civil aviation regulator. “The two airlines have to respond within 14 days. The notice is for rostering non-CAT III compliant pilots,” ToI quoted a senior DGCA official as saying. CAT III in aviation refers to a type of instrument landing system (ILS) approach that allows for landing in very low visibility conditions, such as fog, rain, or snow.
On December 29, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the ministry was coordinating with the Delhi airport and airlines, and putting in place measures amid dense fog disrupting flight operations at the Delhi airport. Terming the fog issue as a “transitory phenomenon”, the Scindia in an interview with PTI also said this year the situation has been slightly unprecedented in terms of the density of fog. Many flights were diverted and scores were delayed at the Delhi airport due to dense fog.
