Pune: Out of the 10 'parking bay' available at Pune Airport in Lohegaon, one parking bay has been closed for 26 days as one accident-hit aircraft is lying there sans repair.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) authorities were supposed to inspect the affected aircraft, however they havent found time yet for this task. As a result, unavailability of one parking bay is causing delays for minimum 8 flights daily at the Pune airport.
The Pune airport already lacks many essential facilities and consequently its capacity has also decreased, adding to the woes of travelers and regular flyers.
On May 16, an aircraft bound for Delhi from Pune Airport met with an accident. Considering the severity of the incident, the DGCA has initiated an investigation. A thorough examination of the aircraft was supposed to take place at Pune Airport. However, this inspection has not yet occurred. As a result, the damaged aircraft is still parked in 'Parking Bay No. 1'.
When one 'Parking Bay' is blocked, its repercussions are felt on the schedules of other aircraft. The airport's operational capacity decreases. If one 'Parking Bay' remains closed, the airport's capacity decreases by a minimum of 10 percent impacting passenger services adversely.
Determining the traffic flow and scheduling of aircraft at any airport primarily depends on the availability of 'parking bays'. The more 'parking bays' available, the smoother the flow of aircraft operations. Pune Airport already faces several issues due to the lack of basic facilities and limited space.
Despite passenger demand, the number of aircrafts has not increased. Furthermore, when one 'Parking Bay' remains closed for a month, aircraft have to be accommodated in other 'parking bays'. This results in passengers experiencing delays.
The average daily movement of aircrafts on Pune airport ranges from 185 to 190. Every day, between 92 to 95 aircraft land on the Lohegaon air strip. On average, 8 to 9 aircraft are parked in one 'Parking Bay' daily. If one 'Parking Bay' is closed, the capacity of other 'Parking Bays' is affected, resulting in delayed operations.
The DGCA's investigation aims to identify the causes of the accident. Subsequently, a report will be received. After receiving the report, the relevant airline will undertake the necessary repairs to the aircraft. Following this, 'Parking Bay' will be reopened for other aircraft.Santosh Dhoke, Director, Pune Airport
Aviation Expert Dhairyasheel Wandekar said, "Pune Airport's capacity is already limited. Consequently, passengers face various issues on a daily basis. With one 'Parking Bay' closed, the airport's capacity for accommodating and managing aircraft operations has decreased. This has put a strain on passengers. Some flights are experiencing delays."