All stakeholders trained to ensure winter preparedness, smooth operations
Airport officials get together for the drill. PICS COURTESY/PUNE AIRPORT
As Pune witnessed a sharp drop in minimum temperature to 7.7 degrees Celsius on Saturday, signalling intensified winter conditions, Pune Airport authorities conducted a comprehensive fog and low-visibility management mock drill and tabletop exercise to strengthen operational preparedness during the fog-prone season.
Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke stated that the drill was part of the airport’s winter preparedness initiatives and was carried out in close coordination with all key aviation and support stakeholders. The primary objective was to enhance operational efficiency and passenger experience during fog and low-visibility conditions, which often disrupt flight operations, particularly on sectors connecting northern India.
The exercise focused on ensuring uniform, coordinated, and timely handling of flight delays, diversions, and cancellations caused by adverse weather. Special emphasis was laid on real-time information flow, passenger facilitation, and inter-agency coordination during fog-induced operational challenges, added, the official.
The mock drill saw active participation from Pune Airport officials, airlines, the Indian Air Force (IAF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), local police, ground handling agencies, multi-level car parking operators, auto-rickshaw unions, taxi associations, cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber, and airport concessionaires.
Key areas tested during the exercise included dissemination of weather and flight updates, passenger communication protocols, management of delayed and diverted flights, deployment of additional manpower, assistance to persons with reduced mobility (PRMs), availability of food and beverage services, cleanliness, seating arrangements, and strict adherence to DGCA-mandated passenger care norms.
Addressing stakeholders during the drill, Dhoke urged all agencies to adopt a proactive and passenger-centric approach during fog-related disruptions. He requested the local police to ensure effective crowd and traffic management in and around the airport. He also stressed that no exorbitant fares should be charged by hotels, taxi operators or cab aggregators during crisis situations, and that passenger interests must be protected at all times. The local administration and the police were requested to take appropriate measures to enforce this.
Airline operators were advised to provide information to passengers in advance and in real-time in case of delays or cancellations to minimise inconvenience. The exercise also tested coordination among airport operations, CISF, airline operators, and ground handlers to ensure orderly passenger movement, security preparedness, and uninterrupted terminal services under low-visibility conditions.
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