AAI proposes 3 secluded bays at Pune airport

The Pune Airport Authority of India (AAI) has sent a letter to the headquarters demanding additional parking space for aircraft in the form of ‘remote bays’ at the Lohegaon Pune Airport. Currently, the Pune Airport has space for 10 aircraft in its existing parking bays. However, as defective aircraft are parked here, other passenger aircraft are affected.

When ground planes are parked for seven to eight days, sometimes even a month, other passenger aircraft cannot use the space. Sometimes flights are instructed to go around and they hover over the airport until they receive instructions to land. Often, passengers are not allowed to disembark the aircraft after landing at the airport. On May 16, an Air India (AI) flight from Pune to Delhi crashed and the aircraft was detained at Bay 1 for one and a half months.

Therefore, the Pune AAI has come up with a solution to the problem by setting up a separate area or ‘Remote Bay’ at the airport. The administration has proposed three ‘Remote Bays’ that will remove the obstacles in travelling. Remote Bays are already available at many airports across the country such as Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Although Pune airport is one of the top 10 airports in the country, this facility is not available here, which is affecting the passengers.

Santosh Dhoke, Director, Pune Airport, said, “Considering the number of parking spaces, three ‘remote parking’ has been provided. However, additional space is required for this and work is underway to obtain this space. As soon as space is available at Pune Airport, a remote parking space will be set up.”

Vipul Alekar, a frequent flyer, said, “I often travel from Pune airport and many times when we land, we have to wait for a parking space to become available. Sometimes the flight hovers over the airport until it receives instructions to land. It would certainly be beneficial for everyone if new parking spaces are created.”