The air traffic controllers (ATCs) at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport had a brush with air rage on Thursday afternoon when an irate pilot flying an aircraft owned by the Uttar Pradesh government grabbed air time on a frequency used by the ATC in the crucial moments before landing and takeoff.
The incident took place when there were three important aircraft movements above the IGI, in addition to 12 routine flights. Ironically, one of the flights was Indian's new aircraft being delivered to Delhi.
The others were a flight on which a passenger had suffered a coronary attack and an ambulance flight ferrying a critically ill person to a hospital in Delhi. "All three merited priority clearances," S.C. Badola, a senior radar controller at the ATC, told the Hindustan Times.
Sources said pilots are asked to restrict communication to the "absolutely necessary". But the pilot of the UP plane - carrying one passenger who is believed to be a trainee at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademy - used 10 minutes on the frequency, demanding priority clearance to land.
With weather turbulence and 15 aircraft to clear, the controller of the Terminal Approach Radar told the pilot he would have to wait for his turn, but failed to get him off the air. "We finally asked a senior radar controller to deal exclusively with this pilot," a source said. But the pilot fought back with: "Don't think you are the master of airspace." "We will file a report with the authorities," said Badola.
{{/usCountry}}With weather turbulence and 15 aircraft to clear, the controller of the Terminal Approach Radar told the pilot he would have to wait for his turn, but failed to get him off the air. "We finally asked a senior radar controller to deal exclusively with this pilot," a source said. But the pilot fought back with: "Don't think you are the master of airspace." "We will file a report with the authorities," said Badola.
{{/usCountry}}nandiniriyer@hindustantimes.com