Bagdogra ILS debut but gains awaited

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Mar 30, 2018, Siliguri: The Instrumental Landing System (ILS) was commissioned at the Bagdogra airport on Thursday, but the full gains of the system that allows landings in low visibility will not be tapped until airlines start early morning and late-evening flights.

Such flights have been a long-standing demand by people of the region as well tourists. "The ILS was successfully commissioned on Thursday. It would now help in landing flights in case the visibility drops below 1,200 metres from the sky. It is indeed a major day for the airport that is equipped with this technical facility now," said Rakesh Sahay, airport director, Bagdogra.

For installation of the ILS, the AAI had to pursue the state for several years to obtain around 24 acres of land that was required for expansion of the runway and for installation of strobe lights which guide airplanes during dark and in inclement weathers to the runway while landing.

About couple of years back, the state finally handed over the land to AAI. So far, Bagdogra-bound flights were cancelled or diverted to other airports, particularly during the rainy season and in the winters due to low visibility.

"It was a constraint for the airport and on many occasions, tourists bound for north Bengal and neighbouring areas used to suffer. It is great to hear that ILS has become operational from Thursday. We were desperately seeking this facility here," said Samrat Sanyal, a senior member of the local travel trade fraternity.

However, the use of ILS, right now, would be only partial. This is because, till date, the last flight departs at 6.25am while the first flight lands at 11.30am.

"We want the airport to remain operational from 6am to 10pm. During such flights, ILS would come to regular use or else, it would be of use only when there is poor visibility," said an official of AAI.

Another source in AAI pointed that since March 25, the number of daily flights has increased to 26, which means 52 movements (arrivals and departures) in a day. "Out of these, there are 45 movements from 11am to 5pm. Even if the airlines do not increase the number of flights but reschedules the timing of some of their existing flights, it would help us in two ways," said the source.