Fuel tanker ‘stuck in mud', Mum flight grounded at Amravati for almost 24 hrs
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Amravati: The sole commercial flight operational from the Amravati airport, which was formally inaugurated last month, was stuck for 24 hours as it could not be refuelled since the tanker carrying aviation turbine fuel (ATF) had its wheels jammed in slush on Monday evening.
The passengers had already boarded the Alliance Air's aircraft and awaiting take-off when the pilot announced that the plane cannot fly as the refuelling tanker was stuck in mud and could not reach the plane. The flight had to be aborted and could only take off on Tuesday.
The 74 passengers on board the plane on Monday had come from Amravati, Chandur Bazar, Achalpur and other places. Some of them had important work in Mumbai last night.
Many passengers had to book hotels for the night's stay while others took refuge at their relatives' place in Amravati.
The airport comes under Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). The first commercial flight had landed at the airport from Mumbai on April 16 this year. The Mumbai-Amravati-Mumbai direct flight operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As per the schedule, it takes off from Mumbai at 2.30pm and lands in Amravati at 4.15pm.
by Taboola
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The flight departs from Amravati at 4.40pm and reaches Mumbai at 6.25pm.
On Monday, the flight from Mumbai was delayed by around one and a half hour. The airport director, Amardeep Sehra, maintained since it was sundown, the take off could not happen because the airport doesn't have night landing facility. Sehra said, "We had fuel as demanded by the pilot, but since the flight had arrived late, refuelling the aircraft was going to take time."
TOI independently confirmed that that tanker carrying ATF could not reach the aircraft. The road connecting the runway and the ATF terminal is not in a proper condition and rain worsened the condition, said a source. A top source confirmed that Belora does not have night flying facility. For night operations the entire runway, taxiway and even the approach and apron have to be lit up. This entails a considerable investment.
Belora is also set to have what is dubbed to be South Asia's biggest pilot training school.
Sources said the aircraft finally took off for Mumbai before 4pm on Tuesday, almost 24 hours after its scheduled departure. According to the airport administration, some of the stranded passengers who chose to board the flight on Tuesday reported at the airport around 7am. But much to their disgust, the flight did not take off even by 1pm.
They were told it will take off around 4pm, said sources. However, Sehra told TOI the flight took off from Amravati airport around 1pm on Tuesday, carrying some passengers while others claimed refund.
Sehra said many flights from Mumbai to other destinations were also cancelled or diverted due to pre-monsoon showers and gusty winds. "Cancellation of flights due to inclement weather during monsoon is a regular feature," he said. As the drama unfolded, reporters trying to gather information were allegedly not permitted on airport premises. Also, no official or employee was around for a press briefing, they said.
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