Airlines can cancel flights delayed beyond 3 hours due to fog, says aviation regulator

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 15

Amid severe and persisting weather-related air traffic disruption, the aviation regulator on Monday issued new rules permitting airlines to cancel flights anticipated to be delayed by three hours or more.

“In view of the prevalent fog season and adverse weather conditions, airlines may cancel, sufficiently in advance, such flights that are anticipated to be delayed or consequentially delayed on account of such conditions beyond a period of 3 hours with a view to obviate congestion at the airport and mitigate passenger inconvenience,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a new standard operating procedure hours after over hundred flights were delayed and five diverted at the Delhi airport due to poor weather conditions.

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DGCA said all airlines shall mandatorily adhere to the new SOP with immediate effect.

The new SOP says airlines shall be required to publish accurate real-time information regarding delays of their flights—website; through advance information to affected passengers by SMS/ WhatsApp and email; through display of updated information regarding flight delays to passengers waiting at the airports and sensitization of the airline staff at airports to suitably inform the passengers about flight delays.

The SOP comes amid massive congestion at Delhi airport and a day after a passenger assaulted an Indigo pilot amid a 13-hour flight delay.

Referring to Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section-3 which airlines are to publish mandatorily, DGCA said CAR was not applicable in case of extreme weather induced conditions.

“The airlines are required to publish the reference of the CAR on the flight tickets. DGCA has issued the CAR to ensure appropriate protection for air travellers in case of flight disruptions and, in particular, denied boardings, flight cancellations and delays without due notice to the passengers booked on the flight(s). It is, accordingly, obligatory on the part of all airlines to mandatorily adhere to the provisions of the above CAR. However, in case of Force Majeure events i.e. extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the airline, the provisions of the above CAR are not applicable.”

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