Airspace closure to hit around 1,000 flights for R-Day

An estimated 500 domestic flights could be cancelled and as many international flights will be rescheduled due to the restrictions, an airport official said, adding it was being done due to increased traffic and capacity constraints this year. 

An estimated 500 domestic flights could be cancelled and as many international flights will be rescheduled due to the restrictions, an airport official said, adding it was being done due to increased traffic and capacity constraints this year.

The airspace over Delhi remains shut for commercial flights due to rehearsals in the days leading to the Republic Day on January 26. 

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has issued a NOTAM or Notice to Airmen informing the airlines that no take-offs or landings would be allowed from or to Delhi airport from 10.35 am to 12.15 pm for nine days between January 18-26, according to airport sources.

The IGI Airport witnesses 67 air traffic movement (both take offs and landings) per hour between 8:00 am to 11:00 pm everyday. With airspace shut for 100 minutes for nine days, an estimated 1,000 flights will either be cancelled or rescheduled. 

“On an average 100 flights will be affected every day. We will accommodate 40 international flights before or after the closure hours. Out of the remaining 60, we will try to reschedule some of the flights. So, we could see roughly 50 flights being cancelled each day,” said an airport official. 

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates IGI Airport, says no international flights will be cancelled. “Keeping in consideration the capacity constraints and to minimise inconvenience to the passengers, Airports Authority of India-Air Navigation Services, several major airlines and DIAL have consulted on various options and jointly agreed that the best and safest course of action is to cancel domestic flights scheduled during the NOTAM period.