Restrictions on civil flights to military airfields

From 2018 onward, scheduled airline flights will be allowed from military airfields after certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). With certain issues still to be sorted out between the civil aviation and defence ministries, the deadline has been extended to 31 December 2017. For certification, DGCA will check and ensure the safety of airstrips and related facilities, including air traffic control (ATC), at military airfields. Besides, the regulator should have access to areas and aspects related to scheduled carrier services.

In this connection, the Indian Navy has reportedly requested the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to reduce the number of civil flights at Goa International Airport at Dabolim, which is being contested. The airfield at Dabolim is controlled by the Indian Navy, and is part of its INS Hansa naval air station. INS Hansa houses a number naval air assets including the MiG-29K fighter aircraft, Dornier Do 228 maritime patrol aircraft ( seen in photographs) and various types of helicopters. There are some 80 civil flights to Goa everyday which amounts to some six million passengers annually, making it one of the busiest airports in the country.