Wed Aug 20 19:19:37 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and rewrite of the provided text into a news article:

**Summary:**

A recent study by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Chennai airport shows that the newly opened Rapid Exit Taxiway (RET) named ‘Victor’ is significantly improving runway efficiency. The RET is enabling aircraft landing on the Guindy end of the main runway to reduce their Runway Occupancy Time (ROT) by an average of 22%, saving time and fuel. The AAI built five RETs to increase the airport’s capacity to handle 45 flights per hour without congestion. ‘Victor’ is proving to be the most efficient, particularly during this time of year when most landings occur on the Guindy end. A similar study will be conducted on RET ‘Zulu’ later in the year when wind patterns shift and landings primarily use the Pallavaram end of the runway.

**News Article:**

**Chennai Airport’s New Taxiway ‘Victor’ Cuts Flight Times, Boosts Capacity**

**CHENNAI, August 21, 2025** – Chennai airport is seeing significant improvements in efficiency thanks to its newly opened Rapid Exit Taxiway (RET) named ‘Victor,’ according to a study by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The study reveals that ‘Victor’ is helping aircraft landing on the Guindy end of the main runway reduce their Runway Occupancy Time (ROT) by an impressive 22%.

The AAI has built five RETs to augment the airport’s capacity, aiming to handle 45 flights per hour in the future without congestion. Currently, the airport manages 36 flights per hour smoothly. RET ‘Victor,’ located between RET ‘Mike’ and RET ‘Delta,’ has emerged as the most effective of the five, particularly during the current wind patterns.

“RETs are designed to facilitate quicker exits from the runway, leading directly to the terminal and improving the overall Runway Occupancy Time,” explained an AAI official. “With many landings currently occurring on the Guindy end, ‘Victor’ has provided a more direct route to the terminal, saving both time and fuel for airlines.”

The study, which examined approximately 3,500 flights over 20 days in July, found that the 600 flights that used RET ‘Victor’ added about 147 minutes to the main runway’s capacity. The average ROT for these flights decreased from 59 seconds to 46 seconds.

Looking ahead, the AAI plans to conduct a similar study on RET ‘Zulu’ after November when wind patterns shift, and the majority of landings will use the Pallavaram end of the runway. This will allow them to assess the effectiveness of ‘Zulu’ and further optimize operations at Chennai airport. The implementation of the RETs marks a significant step towards modernizing the airport and enhancing its capacity to meet the growing demands of air travel.

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