The Hindu Business Line : DGCA to probe delay in IA flight

THE Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, on Thursday ordered a "high-level inquiry" by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) into the cause for the delay of a scheduled Delhi-Lucknow flight of Indian Airlines (IA). The Minister has ordered that the preliminary report into the incident be submitted within three days.

The flight IC 601 which was being operated with an Airbus A-320 aircraft developed "loss of green hydraulic system," which affects the steering of the aircraft, around 9.40 a.m. Later, the airline changed the aircraft to be operated for the flight and the new aircraft was airborne at around 12.15 p.m.

However, when the aircraft started its descent to Lucknow airport, the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) said that the weather conditions was deteriorating rapidly and the aircraft had to return to Delhi where it reached around 2 p.m. Attempts to get the IA passengers transferred on to another airline failed as Jet Airways had cancelled its flight to Lucknow.

Sources indicated that weather conditions in Lucknow not only affected the operation of IA but also other airlines. A 50-seater CRJ aircraft of Air Sahara had to come back to Delhi as it too, could not land in Lucknow due to the weather conditions.

However, when the weather in Lucknow cleared, the IA flight took off again at 3.45 p.m. Sources indicated that last aircraft to land in Lucknow in the morning was at 8.30, after which the next landing was after 4 p.m.

Apart from 131 passengers, the IA flight was said to be carrying a candidate of a political party who was scheduled to file his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha in Lucknow. However, by the time the flight eventually left, it was too late for the candidate to file his papers as the deadline for filing nomination expired at 3.00 p.m.