Kolkata, March 26 (IANS) After remaining airborne for over an hour due to adverse weather conditions and being denied landing permission at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, the chartered flight carrying West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee finally landed safely at around 5.30 p.m. on Thursday.

The flight, in which the Chief Minister was returning after attending several campaign rallies in West Burdwan and Birbhum districts earlier in the day, was scheduled to land at the Kolkata airport before 4.30 p.m. The chartered flight had taken off from Andal Airport in West Burdwan district.

However, after the flight reached Kolkata, the pilot contacted air traffic control (ATC) for permission to land, but clearance was denied due to adverse weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and gusty winds, which were not suitable for a safe landing.

Thereafter, the chartered flight remained airborne for over an hour. Finally, after the weather conditions improved, ATC permitted the aircraft to land. At around 5.30 p.m., the flight landed safely at Kolkata airport.

At the time of filing this report, the West Bengal Chief Minister had left the airport for her residence without speaking to the media on the matter.

Kolkata Airport sources said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's chartered flight was not the only one denied landing permission due to adverse weather conditions. For some time, arrivals and departures of all flights were affected because of the inclement weather.

Sources aware of the development said that at one point it was also considered that, if weather conditions did not improve, the Chief Minister’s chartered flight might be diverted to a nearby airport.

However, the weather eventually improved, and the flight landed safely, bringing relief to all concerned.

Notably, Assembly elections will be held in two phases next month -- April 23 and April 29 -- in West Bengal. The results will be announced on May 4.

--IANS

src/pgh