100 chartered jets are landing in Ayodhya...: New airport has a parking problem

The much-awaited Ram mandir consecration ceremony on January 22 is posing a parking challenge, especially for chartered planes flying dignitaries and VVIPs. 

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said 100 chartered planes are set to land in the newly inaugurated Ayodhya airport on January 22. The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham (MVIAA), has received more than 40 requests for landing of chartered flights for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ event. 

The MVIAA has eight bays (aprons) capable of parking single-aisle 200-seater aircraft and smaller ones. However, it is anticipated that at least four parking slots will be occupied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft. 

Once India One lands, there won’t be any other planes at the Ayodhya airport. Only an important person can be accommodated here. 

‘Drop-and–move’ policy 

Ayodhya airport is expected to witness unprecedented air traffic on January 22 when the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ event takes place. Airport officials are reportedly adopting ‘Drop-and-move’ policy. To ensure systematic flow of flights, flights will be allocated tight time slots for both landing and take-off, which will necessitate efficient coordination to avoid congestion. 

The flights will be allowed to land, de-board the dignitary in a particular time window, and then take off to the nearest airport to return only after the Prime Minister has left Ayodhya. 

This is keeping in mind the limited parking facilities in Ayodhya. 

Alternate destinations 

News reports quote AAI sources saying a dozen airports within a 1,000 km range have been asked to share parking spaces where jets can have a night halt after dropping dignitaries in Ayodhya. 

The report says AAI has strategically identified 12 airports across five states — UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, and Uttarakhand — for parking of private and chartered jets. 

Among the dozen alternatives proposed are Khajuraho, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Varanasi, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Gaya, and Deoghar. 

Reports have quoted Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport of Varanasi, airport director of receiving requests for 30 parking slots between Jan 21 and 23. However, LBSI Airport can accommodate 12 non-scheduled flights apart from 10 big and one small plane at a time. 

Travel time between Ayodhya and alternate airports: 

A simple assessment of aerial distance, factoring in favourable conditions, reveal flight from Ayodhya to Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow will take 39 minutes. 
The farthest will be flight from Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal that will take 1 hour and 16 minutes. 

Flight time taken from different destinations

• Ayodhya to Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow: 126 km in 39 minutes 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Gorakhpur Airport: 129 km in 40 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Allahabad Airport: 151 km in 41 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport,Varanasi: 161 km in 42 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Kanpur Airport: 177km in 43 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Kushinagar International Airport: 174 km in 43 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Khajuraho Airport: 311km in 53 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Gaya Airport: 359km in 57 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Jabalpur Airport: 449 km in 1 hour 3 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Deoghar Airport: 525 km in 1 hour 9 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun: 544 km in 1 hour and 11 minutes. 
• Ayodhya International Airport (AYJ) to Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal: 620km in 1 hour and 16 minutes. 
•  

Source: flightmath.com 

Ultra-luxurious private jets expected

The ultra-luxurious private jets that are expected to fly in include 10-seater Dassault Falcon 2000, Embraer 135 LR & Legacy 650, Cessna, Beechcraft Super King Air 200, and Bombardier. 

Club One Air, one of the largest and oldest luxury charter planes operators in India, has reported bookings for three Falcon 2000 business jets for inauguration day.

-- By Dolly Chingakham