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VASCO: Refusing to accept responsibility for the incident, the Navy has blamed the two airlines for the “conscious error on the part of the two airlines to adhere to the civil flying hours at Dabolim.”
When contacted, the Navy PRO claimed that the DGCA’s Standard Operating Procedures, which are a legal requirement for all flights, clearly stipulate that ATCs and airport destinations are to be informed of any change in a flight schedule.
“Both flights arrived late in the first place and anticipating that the departures would also get delayed, we instructed both airlines to expedite the turnaround time, which they failed to comply,” he said while stating that a major naval exercise is underway at Goa.
“Alternatively, both flights could have requested permission for an extension in time to take-off, as all airlines are aware that military flight hours at Dabolim airport are from 8.30 am to 1 pm. However, they did not make such a request,” he added.
He also informed that the Navy follows a mandatory procedure involving the cleaning of the runway after civilian operations and stated that this procedure could take 45 minutes to an hour.
“Taking into account all factors and considerations, the Navy allowed the flights till 8.45 am to take-off, but they failed to comply with this extension. Another window was given to them from 11.30 am to 11.45 am, but the Goa Air flight took off at 11.54 am. The Air India flight took off only at 12.45 pm,” the PRO added.
