Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has been experiencing delays in aircraft taxiing and takeoff as the day progresses, and the TOI report has uncovered a range of complex factors contributing to this issue.
The Lack of Parallel Taxiways
One of the key reasons for the increasing wait times is the lack of parallel taxiways at CSMIA. Currently, the airport only has one taxiway, which acts as a bottleneck for aircraft departing from different piers and terminals. As a result, the process of sending aircraft for takeoff is slowed down, causing delays.
Although a parallel taxiway is under construction, its completion is hindered by a rescue and firefighting building situated in its path. Once a new casualty center is ready in about a month, the building will be demolished, allowing the construction of the taxiway. However, this entire process is expected to take an additional 18 months, as per TOI report.
Delayed Departure Process
Another contributing factor is the delayed automation of the ATC’s departure process. While the arrival process is automated, departure planning heavily relies on the cognitive intelligence of human controllers. The automation of the departure process is anticipated to be completed in the coming months. Currently, controllers face the challenging task of managing departure sequences, particularly when flights are not ready for departure but the estimated start time (TOBT) has already passed. This dynamic situation requires controllers to juggle departure sequences at the last minute.
Delayed Flights
Delayed flights also play a significant role in the increasing wait times. In recent times, approximately 65 per cent of inbound aircraft to CSMIA have experienced delays. Airlines often inflate the block time, which is the projected journey time, to boast about arriving ahead of schedule. However, this discrepancy in time slots causes confusion for the airport, as flights may arrive earlier than expected. To address this issue, the aviation ministry recently reduced the number of flights at CSMIA by around 40 to alleviate congestion and excessive slot distribution.
The delays experienced by CSMIA progressively worsen throughout the day due to multiple factors. As Mumbai is a hub airport with many transfer flights, delays in crew arrivals and other operational factors can disrupt the controller’s planning. Accumulated delays carry forward, impacting subsequent flights and exacerbating the situation.
To effectively manage the traffic issues, experts emphasize the need for expediting the automation process, improving airline on-time performance, bringing slots closer to actual capacity, and upgrading infrastructure. Navi Mumbai International Airport, set to open in about a year, will provide additional capacity to ease the burden on CSMIA. In the meantime, efforts are underway to enhance efficiency and address the challenges faced by Mumbai’s primary airport.
