Flying to Mangalore is Frightening, Says Traveller


Dubai, May 22 (IANS): Landing in Mangalore is always a "fearful experience", a Gulf News journalist who travels frequently to the Indian city said after an air crash there Saturday killed 158 people.

"Each and every time I have taken a flight to Mangalore, it has always been a fearful experience when the aircraft approached the runway and eventually when landing," Senior Reporter M. Satya Narayan wrote in the daily's website.

"The Bajpe Airport is like a table-top on the hills and one can feel the aircraft straining to ensure it does not overrun the short runway and fall into the adjoining ravines as the airport is situated in a hilly part."

The reporter said that every time he landed at Mangalore, "thoughts of the pilot over-running the runway have always crossed my mind.

"The turning used to be always at the edge of the runway and one could always see the deep ravines just a few metres away."

An Air India Express from Dubai crashed in Mangalore while landing, killing 158 people. Only eight people survived.

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Arnold, Mulki, India

    Tue, May 25 2010

    Air India has so many near fatal accidents every month - if my memory serves me right, Air India 747 400 plane engine had caught fire in Mumbai a few months ago.

    Thanks to Daijiworld for this article and comments, I hope the political parties and Air India is listening.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Ravikiran, Mangalore, India

    Tue, May 25 2010

    Thank You Daijiworld for bringing us coverage of this tragic accident and also bringing our public grievences to a forum like this where the political parties can look at this and take an informed decision for the safety of the people of India.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Anil Castelino, Dubai

    Tue, May 25 2010

    Those who consider that M'lore Airport is dangerous now you you have a reason in future "Don't Fly".
    Take bus/train from B'lore or Mumbai.

    If you want't fly to M'lore don't write comments here, please do something with the concerned authorities.

    99% of the people commenting here on a airport standards / or landing procedures are not even qualified to talk on such issues.

    So, its right time, since we are not an authority on the issue,and wasting time will not serve the purpose. Let us approach concerned authorities at our disposal and let them know our grivences.Thank you. And Lord grant peace on all departed souls and strength to thier families to bear this loss.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Arun, Mangalore, India

    Mon, May 24 2010

    A Boeing 737 with a maximum landing weight requires 6,000-ft of runway for landing. For take off too, it requires 6,000 feet but that is based on several factors such as weight, wind, temperature and runway conditions.

    “Mangalore airport has a 8,000-ft-long runway. The pilots of that plane may not have had sufficient landing distance if they touched down late with high speed,’’ he said.

    Although it is possible to take off even after the wheels touch down the procedure is difficult and is carried out usually during training flights.

    This is because the plane’s auto brakes and speed brakes get deployed immediately. To quote a senior commander - “It is not recommended to do a go around if the plane’s deceleration procedures have been initiated’’.

    So, if the AI plane had already overshot the Landing zone and 25% of the runway was lost and the very fact that the airport has a short landing strip - the "go around" should not have been tried at all - because when landing the pilots may have also tried to slow down the engines - thus reducing chances of a take off again, but unfortunately a re take off was tried and now the tower or light pole hit the wing further sealing the destiny.

    There is another important question - were the tyres and braking systems checked while leaving Dubai? It seems the tyres and breaking systems of Air India are always faulty and Delhi and Mumbai always has a lot of "emergency landings" especially for Air India flights.
    God bless families.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Simon Madtha, bajpe / bahrain

    Mon, May 24 2010

    From the past 30-years i am travelling through Bajpe Interantional Airpor and i am proud to Say my native is Bajpe and my parents roots near the Airport. I have travelled through Indian Airlines, East West, Jet, Deccan, KIngfisher and Air-India Express. Among these Indian Airlines and AirIndia Express are worst.

    Because sometimes they dont even have a bottle of water to serve the passangers!! This is rediculous!!!! I had been to many dangerous Airports like Katmandu during myVisit. But we cannot blame Airport for any tragdy. in the history of Bajpe Airport there were accidents but no casulity happened. This is because of dedication of pilots to their profession.

    Dear Readers, first of all we will sent individual petitions to Civil Aviation Authority of India to handover AirIndia and AirIndia Express to private firms. Jai Ho Bajpe International Airport, Simon Madtha Bajpe/Bahrain/Adyapady

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Gration D' Souza, Mangalore

    Mon, May 24 2010

    Terrible incident, may the almighty give strength to bear the loss to the bereaved families.
    As V nayak said it is true, only Air india has the problem, rest all airlines are private and operating smooth and provide better sevice, management and employees of Air India can wake up after this incident and start working towards the safety and better service to the passengers.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Ayub Khan, Belthangday/Muscat-Oman

    Mon, May 24 2010

    Yes...I do agree with Mr.Satya Narayan....when ever we land at Bajpe same feeling we had.First time i took the direct IX flight from Muscat to Mangalore on 27th Of Dec 2009,that day flight was delayed by 6 hrs and landed at 12 midnight...! Just imagine....!Atleast after this incidence we Mangaloreans should collectively request the Govt to shift Airport to somewhere safer place....I think we have many places near Mangalore..!Very sad!!! May their soul rest in peace....for all the victims of this crash.!Hope to see some changes in Bajpe Airport.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Shabeer Ali Bajpe, Bajpe,Dubai

    Sun, May 23 2010

    Very bad news,I agree with Mr.VNayak's comments.from 15 years i have travelled with many flights but from my experience Air India is giving very bad service.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • VNayak, Mangalore/Germany

    Sun, May 23 2010

    There are plenty of airports in the world with risky and tricky approaches. Nothing has happened at Mangalore until now for the last 60 years where Indian Airlines and later Jet Airways,Kingfisher and Deccan were landing. It is only Air India,as usual, has these kind of problems almost every week - most of the time fortunately not fatal, but this time it was. It is high time Air India closes down and gives its routes to other airlines.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Tom Cat, Mangalore/ Saudi Arabia

    Sun, May 23 2010

    Food for thoughts

    The plane usually lands at one end of the run way strip and run's to other end and turns to stop,how come this plane landed in the middle of the runway strip.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Wilma mendonca, Sooda/Dubai

    Sun, May 23 2010

    I am always afraid while landing to Mangalore.I used to come through Mumbai before starting direct flight from Dubai and comparing the safety system I feel Mangalore airport is lacking all these.Tne run way is not smooth there are a lot of deep wheel marks.Also the fire and safety system is not in international standard.
    Still we were happy rather than spending several hours in Mumbai and Bangalore.I wish the Aviation authorities should look into this and provide more safety messures to avoid any further casualites.While speaking to my family and friends who are coming through Bajpe I can here same comments from everyone.All are afraid due to the Fridays crash.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • L.Fernandes, goa/mumbai

    Sat, May 22 2010

    I fully agree with your thoughts and have read my mind too.In Japan and Hongkong,airports are built with extention to the sea too.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Praveen, Mangalore

    Sat, May 22 2010

    Very sad for the families.

    This is a ridiculous pilot error and landing in the middle of a runway is not part of the rules. Until we get the cockpit voice recorder and flight recorder we won't know if the pilot was under the influence.

    A set of mistakes have happened here and it was costly and instead of covering the mistake, let us learn from the mistakes and make sure that the new runway has latest technology warning and safety systems in place to warn the approaching aircraft of possible issues.

    Also, was A320 type ILS (Instrument Landing System) not mandatory at such a dangerous airport?

    What about weather conditions - does the airport support latest weather warning and guidance systems.

    Keep in mind this is a "one landing try" only runway given the fact that on 3 sides there is a hilly terrain.

    Please give us more facts and give us solutions not ESG reports which just are arguments - instead why not have solutions?

    There are smaller airports in the world - definitely Mangalore airport is not the smallest airport in the world?

    This should not happen in any place in the world and it is very sad.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Flying to Mangalore is Frightening, Says Traveller



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.