Air Traffic Management - Crowd Control

With more sectors of the Indian economy opening up, air traffic has potential for growth. But unless air traffic management improves, further increase in the number of flights will only add to existing woes.

One of the major Impediments to hassle free air travel is the frequent delays in both arrival and departure of flights. While infrastructure in terms of additional runways at major airfields is one major constraint, rationalisation of air traffic management is the other vital issue that determines smooth flow of air traffic. In addition, there is wastage of aviation fuel worth nearly Rs 1,500 crore annually accrued by aircraft while either queuing up for departure or circling in the vicinity of the destination airport even as they wait for clearance to land. The ensuing discomfort to air travellers is well documented.

On an average, there are 5,000 air movements in a day across India. In comparison, Eurocontrols Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU) had a record 33,506 flights on August 31, 2007. In continental US, almost 50,000 air movements take place daily. With more sectors of the Indian economy opening up in the near future and for a country which is a sub-continent, the density of air traffic has great potential for growth. But unless air traffic management improves, any further increase in the number of flights will only add to the existing woes.

There are some major issues which need to be addressed to remedy inadequacies in this area. These are lack of comprehensive radar coverage, need for better navigation and landing aids, insufficient automation in the flow of information, acute shortage of air traffic controllers, poor coordination between civil and military air traffic controls and non-adherence to schedules by airlines. These issues are addressed individually.