DGCA issues guidelines for airlines to handle winter fog, mist
NEW DELHI: To ensure flyers across the country have a safe air journey this winter when fog and mist envelop the skies, causing low visibility, the aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come out with a set of guidelines to be followed by all airlines. Flight operators are now individually preparing a detailed plan to be submitted to the DGCA on how each one of them is prepared to handle the upcoming harsh weather conditions across different airports. An airline source told TNIE that the two months from December 10, 2025 to February 10, 2026, have been announced as the fog period for this winter. Another source shared five key guidelines that the regulator wants airlines to adhere to when operating in low visibility. The regulator mandates that only aircrafts that are compliant with CAT-II and CAT-III categories with pilot trained to operate under conditions of poor visibility be allowed to fly during the fog period, he said.CAT-II and CAT-III are categories of Instrument Landing System, which guide the pilots to land in low visibility conditions.CAT-II facilitates aircraft to land when the visibility is 1200 metres or using special equipment, it can allow landing even when the visibility is very low, like 300 metres only. CAT-III equipment facilitates landing when the visibility is200 metres or even 0 metres with specific equipment and procedures. The regulator has also called forMandatory rostering of qualified flight crew for fog-prone airports, the source added. The regulator has asked airlines tocommunicate delays or diversions immediately to passengers. The DGCA has also urged for real time coordination between the Air Traffic Control, airports and airline operators. Strict cross-verification of instruments and visual cues in poor visibility is another aspect stressed in the guidelines. The regulator was not available for a comment. Delhi airport all runways CAT-III ones: All four runways of Delhi airport are CAT-III compliant, including the runway 10/28 closed for upgradation and opened on September 17 this year. The other operational runways RW 09/27, Rs 11R/29L and RW 11L/29R are alreadyCATIIIcompliant.Indira Gandhi International Airport handles more than 1,500 flights (arrivals and departures) daily. A320 upgrade work over: All A320 aircraft in operation in India have completed the mandatory software upgrade, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The software in theElevator Aileron Computer, which is crucial in flight controls, had to be upgraded in 338 flights in India. In a statement, the Ministry said that Indigo had completed the upgrade on all 200 aircraft of the A320 family. Air India has competed it in 100 out of its 113 aircraft (four aircrafts are under base maintenance, while the upgrade condition is not applicable in the case of nine aircrafts). Air India Expresshas completed the software upgrade in 23 of 25 aircraft while two are under maintenance for redelivery, the statement said. The regulator has set the three airlines deadline of 5.29 am on November 30 to complete the upgrade or face the prospect of the aircraft getting grounded.
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