Near escape for two planes at Chennai airport

Written by Writer on Saturday, October 25th, 2008

Near escape for two planes at Chennai airport

25 Oct 2008, TNN

CHENNAI: A mishap was averted at the Chennai airport after two aircraft came close to each another while taxiing for take-off on Thursday night.

A Singapore-bound Etihad Airways cargo aircraft came up too close behind a Bangalore-bound Paramount Airways plane while taxiing for take-off. There were 40 passengers aboard the Paramount aircraft.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are investigating the incident.

Sources said the Paramount flight was cleared for take-off and was proceeding slowly along the taxiway towards the Pallavaram end of the runway when the cargo aircraft, behind it in the departure sequence, taxied a little faster and came too close for comfort.

Airport sources claimed that the pilot of the cargo aircraft, which started from the cargo terminal at the old airport, continued taxiing without waiting for instructions from the air traffic controllers.

“It passed by the air traffic control tower and the passenger terminals based on instructions, but speeded up as it moved closer to the end of the runway,” the sources said.