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The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
So far, 27 instances of laser beam interference reported at Chennai airport this year
Flights landing at Chennai airport have faced laser light interference 27 times so far this year, with the latest instance occurring on Tuesday (June 10, 2025). Around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, when an Air India Express flight from Pune was approaching the city, a white laser beam struck the aircraft. Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the incident occurred when the flight was nearly three nautical miles from touchdown. The pilot informed Air Traffic Control (ATC), and a complaint was also filed in this regard at the Airport police station. The flights arriving after that did not face any such interference. A few weeks ago, Emirates and Gulf Air flights encountered laser beam interferences, taking the number of incidents to 27 till June 2025, when compared to 65 incidents last year. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in its National Aviation Safety Plan 2024-28, said: 'Laser interference during critical phases of flight poses a significant hazard and can jeopardize the safety of the aircraft. It can cause distractions, temporary blindness, and startle response in the pilot.' AAI officials said if the information about laser beam interferences was reported immediately by pilots, then it would be easier to trace the offenders. Though some are reported immediately, pilots sometimes file a report only after they return to their bases. It is already too late by this time, officials said. They held an extensive meeting in this regard with the members of the Greater Chennai Police, the DGCA, airline operators, and ATC. They had also asked the DGCA if laser lights could be banned to prevent such incidents. 'Since air traffic controllers communicate with pilots, we have requested them to ask pilots for more information that may assist in locating the spot from where the laser was fired. The police asked for zones where past incidents occurred to keep a heightened vigil. When pilots and air traffic controllers give us information to determine the precise location of the laser beam, it will become possible to locate those responsible,' an official said. The AAI reiterated that they had been constantly taking measures to raise awareness on laser light interference among the public, giving away pamphlets about the hazards of laser lights and the danger it poses to flights approaching the airport.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Laser beam strikes flight during arrival at city airport
: Around 8.15 p.m. on Sunday, as an Emirates B777-300 flight from Dubai was making its descent to the city airport, a green laser light struck the aircraft. The pilot immediately reported the incident to the Air Traffic Control (ATC), who informed the police. A day prior to this incident, a Gulf Air flight faced the same issue. In the month of May alone, there were five instances of laser beam interference experienced by flights landing at the Chennai airport, making it difficult for pilots to manoeuvre the aircraft. 'When the flight was around six nautical miles away from touchdown, the pilot encountered the issue and reported it to the ATC. The flashing of the laser stopped abruptly, and the flight landed safely at the 25-end (Guindy end) of the main runway,' a source said. Laser beam interference is dangerous and categorised under 'hazardous incidents'. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has underscored the seriousness of this issue, especially when it occurs during critical phases of flight such as landing, approach and take-off, and how it could impact the pilot. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, in its National Aviation Safety Plan 2024-2028, said: 'Aiming a laser at an aircraft, especially during approach and landing, may blind the flight crew and lead to a loss of control during a critical phase of flight, potentially causing a serious incident/accident. Public awareness is essential for preventing the occurrence of such incidents.' In 2023, 144 cases of laser interference were reported during landing and take-off in the country. 'It is also difficult to trace and locate the individuals in such cases. We can only raise awareness, which we have been consistently doing. We keep highlighting the issue in the Airfield Environment Management Committee meetings as well,' a source said. Usually, there are just one or two instances of these incidents, but weddings or other events can lead to an increase in such cases, according to sources. 'From toys to small-scale events, access to lasers have become so common. The only thing we can do is sensitise people to its adverse impact on aircraft. Moreover, the use of laser beam lights should be barred within the vicinity of the airport,' another source said.
