Operators rue lack of facilities at airport

It’s interesting to note that AAI does not have the facilities to be covered under watch. "They don’t have crash tenders, ambulance or other safety equipment. IAF provides all that," says an operator.

Senior aerodrome officer, A.K. Verma, when contacted, said: "There’s an understanding between us and the Indian Air F orce on this account." An IAF source, however, counters saying: "If that be the case, they can divert some part of their income to us. But they don’t do that".

On the question of provision of watch facilities, Verma said that AAI was providing enroute navigation aids to operators. "We are very much providing navaids to them," he said. Many operators contacted, however, said that no such facility was being provided.

Under rules, AAI is authorised to charge for aircraft parking while IAF charges for landing of the aircraft. According to sources, while the Air Force charges only Rs 102 for an aircraft which weighs about 2000 kg, AAI charges on the average of about Rs 370 for just receiving and seeing off the aircraft of the same weight. If watch hours are included, flight operators often end up paying more than Rs 1000 although they receive few facilities in return.

Presently, the airport authority is providing watch to operators only on two days: Wednesday (8.15 a.m. to 1.45 p.m.) and Friday (11.15 a.m. to 1.45 p.m.). Beyond these hours, the operators are required to fend for themselves and hence, they seek the services of IAF. It may be mentioned here that the IAF provides watch to the operators for a much longer time. On May 29 this year, ATC, Chandigarh issued a notice to airmen stating that all civil and non-scheduled aircraft operators would be permitted from sunrise to 8 p.m.

While the facility is being provided by IAF, costs are being procured by AAI. Various receipts issued to private operators confirm that AAI has been charging RNFC and TNLC although the facilities are being provided by the Indian Air Force. A receipt dated April 29, issued to a Karsan Airways operator shows that AAI has claimed RNFC and TNLC. Private operators also have other complaints to voice. They feel that facilities at the civil dispersal need to be improved upon.

"They are supposed to provide parking as well as housing facilities. At theChandigarh station, however, the marshall is often missing," says an operator from Span Air.

Another operator from Saraya Aviation points out: "More often than not there’s no one to assist us in mooring the aircraft, especially when we make a night halt. I often have to look for mooring blocks myself and then tie down the aircraft".

Operators complain that they are often asked to change the parking bay after they have secured the aircraft. "This happens when flights of IA and Alliance Air have to land or when some VIP has to land on the civil terminal," says another non-scheduled operator.

"When they charge us for watch they have to provide fire fighting and other safety equipment which they don’t have," says another private operator from Mahindra and Mahindra Airways.