Number of frequently delayed flights dropped to 218 in March

The number of the flights getting frequently delayed (more than 20% of the times they were operated in a month) out of the Mumbai airport dropped drastically in March.

The number of flights getting frequently delayed (more than 20% of the times they were operated in a month) out of the Mumbai airport dropped drastically in March.

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According to data released by the civil aviation ministry, March witnessed 218 such frequently delayed flights compared to the monthly average of 324.

Last month’s performance was also the best since April 2011, when the civil aviation ministry asked the city airport operator to draw a list of such flights.

“Since Kingfisher Airlines has cut down flights from its schedule, the congestion out of the airport has reduced,” said a senior civil aviation ministry official.

The official added that arriving flights had also shown improvement because all major airports were strictly following the stick-to the-slot rule.

In July 2010, the ministry had introduced the rule of punishing flights by sending them to the back of the queue if pilots were not ready for take-off 15 minutes before the time of departure.

Low cost carriers showed massive improvement. Between Indigo, GoAir, Jetlite and Spicejet only 12 scheduled flight featured in the delayed list as compared to 38 flights in February.