DGCA Zaidi stuck in plane for 40 minutes
Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Naseem Zaidi was stuck in a commercial aircraft along with other passengers for 40 minutes at Delhi airport recently after a delay in departure by the airline, since the air traffic controller on duty was strictly implementing the DGCA’s very own orders.
The DGCA had recently issued orders that if aircraft are not ready to take-off on time, the ATCs should put them in queue for take-off.
Lavishing praise on air traffic controllers on Thursday, Mr Zaidi expressed happiness that the ATC was implementing the DGCA directives to ensure that airlines utilised their flight slots effectively and took off on time.
“I was travelling to Mumbai. I was made to wait for 40 minutes. Instead of 7 am, we took off at 7.40 am,” smiled Mr Zaidi, saying that the fault was that of “inefficiency” of some of the staff of the airline. Mr Zaidi, however, did not name the airline. He then said he had spoken to the air traffic controller on duty. “Sorry Sir. This is the rule that you have made,” Mr Zaidi quoted the ATC as telling him. The DGCA’s directive has tremendously improved the on-time performance of airlines. As per the directives, the check-in counters for a flight close 40 minutes before departure. Meanwhile, sources said the DGCA would be restructured as the Civil Aviation Authority to be headed by a Director General and Chief Executive Officer.
Post new comment