Tuticorin airport gets go-ahead to operate night flights

Tuticorin airport gets go-ahead to operate night flights

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Tuticorin:01.07.2020

Tuticorin airport has got licence to operate flights at night from the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). Various developmental works carried out at an estimated cost of Rs2.3 crore have helped the airport get the licence that makes them eligible to operate flights round-theclock, said Tuticorin airport director N Subramanian. “Till date we could operate flights only from 6am to 6pm due to visibility limitation of 5km. After lockdown we will be able to operate round-the-clock, irrespective of the weather,” said Subramanian.

Tuticorin MP Kanimozhi had written to the civil aviation ministry on multiple occasions following representations from various bodies, including the Tuticorin chapters of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the All India Chamber of Commerce and Industries to facilitate night operations at the airport and to elevate it as an international airport. Night flight operation at Tuticorin was a long-pending demand of the business community as it could cut on expenses such as stay and save a lot of time if those from other cities could fly to Tuticorin in the morning and return the same night. Trade and industry see night operations as the first step that would benefit the region.

Subramanian told TOI that the airport was handling 12 flights, including 10 to Chennai and two to Bengaluru, and around 700 passengers a day. Due to the lockdown it was reduced to four flights in the Chennai-Tuticorin sector.

“Now the airport is capable of handling all-weather dayand-night operations at low visibility for ATR 72, Q 400 and Dornier AN32 type of aircrafts, based on Airline Operator Minima for Runway 28,” he said. Additional safety measures include installing a non-directional beacon and increasing levelled and graded runway strip from the centre line from 75 meters to 140 metres.