Chennai: Domestic passenger flight operations from Chennai airport, which were suspended owing to flooding of the runway due to the floods, will resume from Sunday morning.
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“DGCA will assessment the state of affairs for night time operations tomorrow”, the assertion stated.
Four ferry flights that were parked at Chennai Airport departed for Delhi, Mumbai and Port Blair on Saturday while one Cargo flight Singcargo B747 departed for Singapore via Bengaluru. Restoration of Airport Systems, CNS equipment, IT systems, Met equipment is in progress to resume IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) operations for all flights.
However, on December 2nd, the AAI officials informed that airport will be shut till December 6 after heavy rainfall which caused flooding on the runway and the nearby areas which made it impossible to perform the operations.
Summary: For most people stranded in rain-hit Chennai, taking a flight to neighbouring cities has been a bleak option over the last few days.
Despite the Aviation ministry’s warning, airlines are making the most of the tragedy unfolding in Chennai. These fares, in normal situation, could be around Rs 25,000, a travel agent said. “The Chennai airport was shut down on Tuesday evening after the runway was flooded following incessant rain”.
A round-trip flight ticket between Delhi and Bangalore on GoAir ranges between Rs 34,000 to Rs 42,000.
“This was bound to happen. However, airlines need to have a heart and not overcharge people in distress”, said Rajji Rai, former president of the Travel Agents Association of India.
The minister did not reveal the spots but explained the deals for these unique flights will be assigned at Rs-1,000 for Rs 2,000 for all different channels and routes within India.
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Meanwhile, the Government had started using INS Rajali, the Naval Air Station at Arakkonam near Chennai, for relief flights as well as commercial flights on a temporary basis to clear the large number of passengers who were stranded at the Chennai airport and elsewhere in the city.
