An IndiGo Plane with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on board was denied permission to land for more than half-an-hour. What makes it worse is the fact that the aircraft was running low on fuel when this took place. This incident kicked up a political storm with TMC MP's raising the issue in Parliament by describing as a witch-hunt by Centre for opposing demonetization.
IndiGo, however, explains Kolkata Air Traffic Control (ATC) misunderstood the message passed to it by the Pilots of Flight 6E 342 from Patna to Kolkata. After wrongly assuming that the plane was running low on fuel, Emergency vehicles were rushed to the runway at the Kolkata Airport. 'IndiGo flight 6E 343 was denied permission to land initially due to heavy traffic. Then, Pilot informed ATC that he has 8 minutes of extra holding fuel over Kolkata airport which is the destination. ATC misunderstood that the aircraft has only 8 minutes of total fuel left,' reads the statement.
Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha informs Parliament that not just the IndiGo flight with Mamata Banerjee on board but two more aircrafts (SpiceJet and Air India) were also reported running low on fuel while landing at Kolkata. He further adds, DGCA has already ordered for a probe into the issue.
IndiGo, however, explains Kolkata Air Traffic Control (ATC) misunderstood the message passed to it by the Pilots of Flight 6E 342 from Patna to Kolkata. After wrongly assuming that the plane was running low on fuel, Emergency vehicles were rushed to the runway at the Kolkata Airport. 'IndiGo flight 6E 343 was denied permission to land initially due to heavy traffic. Then, Pilot informed ATC that he has 8 minutes of extra holding fuel over Kolkata airport which is the destination. ATC misunderstood that the aircraft has only 8 minutes of total fuel left,' reads the statement.
Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha informs Parliament that not just the IndiGo flight with Mamata Banerjee on board but two more aircrafts (SpiceJet and Air India) were also reported running low on fuel while landing at Kolkata. He further adds, DGCA has already ordered for a probe into the issue.