Patna: Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (JPNI) in Patna organised a fog preparedness “dry run” on Saturday to prepare for the heavy fog that often affects flight operations during the winter months. The exercise was conducted from 11.30am to 1pm and covered key areas of the airport, including the city side, the terminal building and the airside. The main aim was to check how ready the airport and its partners are to deal with delays, crowd management and passenger inconvenience caused by poor visibility.
Airport officials said the drill was carried out according to the airport’s fog preparedness standard operating procedures and the guidelines issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. The exercise focused on coordination between different agencies that play a role during flight disruptions. Winter fog is a regular challenge in Bihar and other parts of north India, often leading to delayed or cancelled flights, long waiting hours and confusion among passengers.
Several stakeholders took part in the exercise, including the Airports Authority of India, CISF, state police, the India Meteorological Department, and airlines such as IndiGo and Air India. Passenger support agencies handling food and beverages, housekeeping and help desks were also involved. A joint briefing session was held at the start, where the duties and responsibilities of each agency were clearly explained to ensure better teamwork during real fog situations.
During the drill, an information desk was set up outside the terminal to guide passengers, and extra seating was arranged to manage crowds in case of delays. Food and beverage services were checked and found to be adequate for handling extended waiting periods. A mock boarding and deboarding exercise was also conducted to test procedures under fog-related conditions. The drill ended with a debriefing session, where officials reviewed the performance and discussed improvements. Airport authorities said the exercise showed that Patna airport is well prepared to handle fog-related disruptions while ensuring passenger safety and comfort.
