1 year on, Surat's 24x7 airport yet to take off

NO NIGHT OPERATIONS | Critical staff shortage causes delays

- Melvyn Thomas

Despite being over a year since the Airports Authority of India (AAI) decided to operationalize Surat Airport 24/7, night operations remain suspended. Critical staff shortages across departments, including Air Traffic Control (ATC), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Meteorology, Operations, and Technical teams, continue to impede round-the-clock functionality.

Surat Airport sources revealed, "We require 7-10 additional ATC personnel to handle 24-hr operations effectively. The current workforce of 17 staff managing three shifts is insufficient against the total requirement of 27."

Flights Diverted Due to ATC Unavailability

Airlines operating on the Kolkata-Surat route have borne the brunt of these delays. For instance, an Air India Express flight scheduled to arrive early morning must often take a fuel-wasting detour due to ATC unavailability before 7:30 AM.