Posted on 03/24/2008 5:23:57 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative
BANGALORE, India (AFP) - A KLM flight headed for Hyderabad in India's south skipped its destination and flew across India because the pilot was unaware the city had a brand-new airport, a report said Monday.The confusion occurred barely hours after the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the Hyderabad suburb of Shamshabad became operational after midnight Saturday, with flights landing and taking off, said the Times of India.
The pilot of the KLM flight, which had taken off from Amsterdam, at first headed towards Hyderabad's old airport and was told by air traffic control the facility had been shut, the report said.
When directed to fly to the new airport, the unnamed pilot replied: "What's that?" and flew instead first to New Delhi, from where he took the plane to Mumbai after being declined permission to land, it said.
The plane had on board 230 economy and 13 business-class passengers when it approached Hyderabad at 1:45 a.m. Indian time on Sunday. It had been due to fly out of Hyderabad to Amsterdam at 3:35 a.m. with more than 230 passengers.
The Times of India cited an anonymous source as saying the Dutch airline's pilot had been reluctant to land in Shamshabad because its headquarters in Amsterdam had not received a notice about the closure of the old and the opening of the new facility.
The new airport, built at a cost of more than 600 million dollars, opened for flights after a week's delay prompted by airline requests for more time to switch to the new facility and operational reasons such as shifting of equipment.
A KLM flight headed for Hyderabad's Shamshabad airport, seen here,
skipped its destination and flew across India because the pilot was unaware
the city had a brand-new airport, a report said Monday
(AFP/File/Noah Seelam)
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What we have here is a failure to communicate.....
Looks like a nice lookin’ terminal.
Paleo Pilot.
It's easy, just look for the big empty black hole with one green and white light?
All airports look alike from high altitude.
If you've seen one, you've seen them all.
KLM may have to limit its stated destinations to country names only. "KLM Flight 297 is non-stop to India, actual arrival airport shall be subject to pilot's discretion."
Pilot's voice (over cabin intercom): "Let's see a show of hands. Raise your hand if you prefer we land at Calcutta."
Remember that 747 twin collision on the Azores some years back. KLM' senior pilot - Van Zandt, I think - got impatient at the end of the runway and said, "We go," just got the nose gear up then slammed into a PanAm 747 then crossing the runway.
Not too much discussion there either, one guesses.
I’ve flown in and out of the old airport in Hyderabad. It’s no wonder he didn’t want to land there.
Landing is easy. It’s the taxiying to the ramp at a strange airport that’s a problem!
"I have no idea where we are. We are safe, but the old airport is gone. Looking for the new one, if there is one."
What equipment?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayankkhanna1987/2354788861/Any idea what this bird is doing in BOM since KL doesnt serve BOM on its own metal ???
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