Spicejet and Deccan kisses at airport
The wings of the SpiceJet aircraft (left) and Air Deccan plane (right) came close at the parking bay of the Coimbatore airport on Saturday, delaying the departure of both flights.Three hundred and five passengers on board two aircraft on Saturday had a lucky escape in the parking bay of the Coimbatore airport.According to airport sources, a SpiceJet aircraft bound for New Delhi, carrying 130 passengers, was taxiing from the parking bay to the runway around noon when the pilot noticed that one of its wings had come too close to that of a stationary Air Deccan plane. It was brought to a halt, thereby averting an accident.The Air Deccan flight with 175 passengers was scheduled to leave for Mumbai.Airport Director K. Hemalatha said the pilot of the taxiing aircraft had overshot the markings on the apron, thereby failing to maintain the minimum distance between the aircraft.Passengers of both the aircraft were asked to disembark. In the absence of tools such as push carts for moving the aircraft or hydraulic crowbars, the pilots manoeuvred the aircraft and brought them to a safe distance from each other.
The SpiceJet aircraft took off at 1 p.m. and the Air Deccan plane at 1.05 p.m.They had arrived late and the incident further delayed their departure further by two to three hours.The incident is being brought to the notice of the Director General of Civil Aviation and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and a formal inquiry is likely.According to sources, the incident throws light on the inadequate ground handling facilities and logistics at non-metro airports, such as the one in Coimbatore despite it having close to 25 landings and takeoffs every day.
