November 15, 2011 CHANDIGARH: Chandigarh’s first international flight, which was to Sharjah, was to start operating from November 15. However, the Ministry of Defense (MOD) has been withholding security clearance for the flight for over a month. The MOD requires official clearance for any foreign aircraft landing at the airport, which is under the Indian Air Force and borders a defense airfield.
According to sources, Air Arabia’s request for necessary clearance from the ministry for the flight could take another one month or more. Furthermore, after obtaining MOD permission, the airlines will still have to take clearance from the director general civil aviation (DGCA) before the flight will be able to start service.
This is not the first time that operation of this flight has been postponed due to the MOD. A land transfer from the department, which was approved for expansion of the civil airport, is also still pending long after agreed upon dates. Although defense officials assured Chandigarh airport administration that they would expedite the procedure of land transfer at a meeting held in August this year, no such action has yet taken place.
The MOD turned down numerous opportunities to comment on the issue. Chandigarh airport director Captain H S Toor said once the MOD gives the necessary clearance, other formalities would be take very little time. He added that although clearance may take another month, all other provisions were in place at the airport.
The Ministry of Finance (department of revenue) has already notified the Chandigarh airport as customs airport. This was a requirement that was mandatory for operating international flights. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is so prepared to begin operations that it finalized the timings of the Chandigarh-Sharjah-Chandigarh flight, with a 5.10pm arrival and 5.50pm departure thrice a week.