Radar snag stops flights at Kolkata airport

Kolkata, Jan 31 (IANS) A major disaster was averted and all flight operations at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here halted for two hours after monitors at the Air Traffic Control suddenly went blank, said airport officials.

Airport sources said the monitor at the ATC suddenly went blank at around 6.55 p.m.

Three flights were diverted – one to Bangladesh and two to Bhubaneswar – and flight operations halted for two hours.

The sources said some other flights which were preparing for landing were asked to hover over the sky as an emergency measure.

The technical glitch came under control at 8.55 p.m. and flight operations were resumed.

“We are recovering from the problem. The flights which were earlier asked to hover above, are now being allowed to land one after the other,” a source said.

The sources said there could have been a major disaster as many flights – other than those scheduled to land or had taken off from the airport – use the route. With the monitor going blank, had two aircraft taken the same height, there could have been a major problem.

IANS 2013-01-31 23:22:01