Gaya International airport's 'GAY' designation code inappropriate, govt requested to change it

The Parliamentary Committee believes that 'GAY' is an inappropriate code for use at the Gaya airport, since Gaya is a holy city.

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Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Undertakings has recommended changing the Gaya airport code to 'GAT' from 'GAY'. For a city of religious significance, alternative names like 'YAG' (Yag) have also been suggested.

The panel requested that the government take up this issue with the International Air Transport Association and other concerned organizations since the issue involves the inappropriate naming of an airport of a holy city in India. According to the Committee, the use of the GAY code for Gaya airport is unsuitable for the holy city, so the government should attempt to substitute an appropriate code and an alternate code such as YAG is recommended.

A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Ministry said last week that the IATA, the trade association for airlines worldwide, had indicated that a change to the code could not be made without “a justifiable reason primarily related to air safety.” It further stated that allotted location codes are permanent under Resolution 763 and are not subject to change without a solid justification primarily relating to air safety. IATA assigns airport station codes in accordance with aviation standards.

“The GAY code for Gaya has been in use since the operationalisation of this airport. Therefore, without any justifiable reason primarily concerning air safety, IATA has expressed its inability to change the code of Gaya airport,” the ministry told the panel which was duly mentioned in the panel`s report tabled on Friday.

According to the report "The Committee appreciates the efforts of Air India being a member airline of IATA to take up the request with the international air transport association but, yet, re-emphasise the government to make all efforts to take up the matter with the IATA..."

According to the panel's first report submitted to Parliament in January last year, the panel was informed that the Civil Aviation Ministry had requested the code of the Gaya airport be changed. To change the code name of Gaya airport, the panel had recommended that all consultations and formalities be completed in a timely manner by the Ministry and Air India.

With inputs from IANS