Kozhikode: After the interaction with Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, the campaign by trade and other organisations in Kozhikode to get the diverted wide-bodied flights back to Calicut International Airport is one of cautious optimism.
The shrillness of the campaign has come down after the Minister pointed out to them that these aircraft should not have been operated at all from this airport, given its runway size.
The realisation now is that permanent operation of wide-bodied aircraft can happen only after runway is expanded.
And, that seems to be a long way away, as land for the purpose is yet to be acquired.
To top it, Airport Director K. Janardanan also made it clear that claims that runway relaying works would be over in two months were wrong. “I do not know who gave this impression.
The works were originally scheduled to be over only in February 2017. We have speeded these so that the entire runway could be ready by November 2016,” he said.
04/02/16 KV Prasad/The Hindu
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The shrillness of the campaign has come down after the Minister pointed out to them that these aircraft should not have been operated at all from this airport, given its runway size.
The realisation now is that permanent operation of wide-bodied aircraft can happen only after runway is expanded.
And, that seems to be a long way away, as land for the purpose is yet to be acquired.
To top it, Airport Director K. Janardanan also made it clear that claims that runway relaying works would be over in two months were wrong. “I do not know who gave this impression.
The works were originally scheduled to be over only in February 2017. We have speeded these so that the entire runway could be ready by November 2016,” he said.
04/02/16 KV Prasad/The Hindu
