For Antony, Delhi is no-fly zone

Jul 24, 2012 |

New Delhi

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A.K. Antony

The official Embraer aircraft that carried defence minister A.K. Antony back to Delhi from Mumbai on Saturday afternoon is at the centre of a controversy with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the AAI’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) locking horns over events that led to Mr Antony being unable to land on schedule in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon.

After a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued by the AAI at the behest of the IAF to close the air-space over Delhi for the duration of an IAF drill, permission was also sought from the ATC for the Embraer aircraft — carrying defence minister A.K. Antony — to land.

The ATC objected, saying that permission could not be given when other aircraft were not being allowed to land or take-off from Delhi during the IAF drill.

Permission was eventually given of course. ATC sources say the IAF agreed immediately as its drill had been completed and civilian traffic had resumed!

Nothing to do with the fact, of course that the self-effacing minister has quietly been anointed number two in the Manmohan Singh government.

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