Non-scheduled flights will not be allowed to land or take off from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport during designated hours on Independence Day, officials said on Wednesday.
The restrictions will be in force from 6 am to 10 am and again from 4 pm to 7 pm on August 15.
Why was NOTAM issued?
The move follows the issuance of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) by the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) Aeronautical Information Services (AIS). A NOTAM is an official advisory for personnel involved in flight operations, alerting them to specific restrictions or changes.
“The curbs apply to non-scheduled flights of scheduled airlines as well as chartered flights, but there will be no impact on regular scheduled operations,” an official said.
The measure aims to ensure smooth and secure airspace management during the Independence Day celebrations.
What kind of flight operations are exempted from the restrictions
While no landing or take-off will be permitted for non-scheduled flights during the specified periods, there will be no impact of the NOTAM on scheduled flights as well as on any flight operation being carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Army aviation helicopters.
As per the official statement, all state-owned aircraft and helicopters flying the Governor or Chief Minister, as well as flights undertaking quick response time missions and casualty/immediate medical evacuation, would be exempted from the restrictions stipulated in the NOTAM. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital is the country’s busiest airport and handles around 1,300 flight movements daily.