Chennai gets ready to assist Colombo

Chennai gets ready to assist Colombo airportPublished Date: 5/1/2007 - (NIE)ENSCHENNAI, April 30: Chennai airport is geared up to accommodate civilian aircraft that may be diverted due to continuing LTTE air raids in Colombo.Highly paced sources anticipate a larger crisis on the horizon, necessitating a major diversion exercise soon.Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, who control ground operations, are on high alert to handle flight diversions, takeoffs and landings, and flight parking if Colombo airport is suddenly closed.When a crisis similar to Sunday’s is reported, ATC personnel here will have to inform aircraft headed to Colombo via Chennai air space. They will also check available airspace to facilitate diversions and allow unscheduled landings in Chennai.“Priority will be accorded to such flights. Parking bays will be arranged and the local officials of the airline companies will be alerted to take care of passengers," said an airport source.Aircraft would be allotted aerobridges close to the terminal for quick transfers.Chennai airport can handle more aircraft, and the city has enough hotels for passengers if the crisis becomes protracted.In any case, Chennai coordinates ATC operations in south India.On Sunday, Air Sahara’s Chennai- Colombo flight was a few miles from its destination when the pilot was alerted to the crisis and told to hover for 30 minutes. He returned due to the uncertainty.But when the LTTE ‘air force’ attacked Bandaranayke airport recently, it was closed for four hours and Chennai airport handled the landings, with some flights diverted to Thiruvananthapuram.For officials, it is no different from other crises. “We often have flights returning because of bad weather," said Dinesh Kumar, Airport Director.