Cyclone FANI: Bhubaneswar airport closes at midnight

Bhubaneswar: As a safety measure, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an operational advisory to airlines and operators over discontinuation of flight services from and to Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here from midnight tonight in view of the impending cyclone Fani.

“No flight will depart or arrive at Bhubaneswar airport between 12 am and 11.59 pm of May 3,” the DGCA said in a statement.

Similarly, no flights will take off or land from Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport from tomorrow.

“No flight will depart or arrive at Kolkata airport between 9.30 pm of May 3 and 6 pm of May 4,” the aviation regulator said.

The DGCA said the flights are being “cancelled in advance in order to avoid passenger inconvenience and safety of operations”.

The flights will be resumed after “positive clearance” from respective air traffic control, the advisory said.

Meanwhile, Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said all authorities have been alerted so that they are ready to deal with the cyclone and all airlines have been requested to offer assistance in rescue and relief operations.

All airlines are requested to offer all assistance for rescue and relief operations in view of #CyclonicStormFANI All relief material should be airlifted to be delivered to officially designated agencies We all in #aviation sector must rise to occasion.Controll room being set up

— Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) May 2, 2019