A United Airways plane from Bangladesh has been stranded at Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport for an extended period, to be precise 9 years, following an emergency landing. This unresolved situation has left airport authorities and regulators perplexed, grappling with how to address the ongoing issue.
Background of the Emergency Landing
On August 7, 2015, a United Airways flight en route from Dhaka to Muscat encountered severe technical issues and was forced to land in Raipur. The aircraft, carrying 173 passengers, experienced a significant engine malfunction that led to a massive explosion. Captain Shahbaz Imtiaz Khan, the pilot, described the harrowing experience, highlighting a fire and a part of the engine breaking off while the plane was at 32,000 feet. Fortunately, the presence of an engineer on board aided in managing the crisis.
Aircraft Maintenance and Delays
After the emergency landing, an engineering team from Bangladesh addressed the issue three years later, restoring the plane to a flight-ready condition. However, despite the repair, no further action was taken to retrieve the aircraft. The lack of response from Bangladeshi officials and the airline, which has since ceased operations, has left the plane stranded in Raipur.
Escalating Parking Charges
The ongoing situation has led to mounting parking fees. The hourly rate is Rs 320, and the total charges for the stranded aircraft have accumulated to a staggering Rs 4 crore. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) faces a dilemma, as there is no existing regulation or policy to address the prolonged parking of a foreign aircraft.
Regulatory and Operational Challenges
Airport officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are grappling with the lack of clear guidelines for such scenarios. The absence of a structured policy raises questions about how to manage and resolve the issue of foreign aircraft left unattended in India.
While the parked plane does not interfere with routine operations at Raipur Airport, the unresolved situation and escalating costs remain a significant concern for Indian aviation authorities.
