AAI revives plan to use Juhu for smaller aircraft

Mumbai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has reactivated a proposal to use the small Juhu airport for commercial aircraft due to the delay in getting the Navi Mumbai airport flagged off. The Navi Mumbai airport, scheduled to come up on 2,750 acres of land at Panvel, is unlikely to meet its 2012 deadline as the environment ministry has not given its final green signal.
If the AAI's proposal finds favour with the government, smaller aircraft like ATRs -- used largely by Jet Airways and Kingfisher -- can take off from and land at Juhu. AAI owns the 385-acre Juhu airport, and feels that it can be used to decongest Mumbai airport and improve revenues.
Juhu airport is currently used by non-scheduled operators (charters and choppers) for flight operations. "Since the Navi Mumbai airport is likely to miss its 2012 deadline by a year, AAI has revived its earlier proposal to use it for general aviation traffic, including small aircraft like ATRs," says an AAI official.
18/09/09 Sindhu Bhattacharya & Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Sep 2009, New Sep 2009