Abu Dhabi carrier welcomed over 1.4 million passengers last month
An Air India Express flight -- IX715 -- from Kannur to Abu Dhabi landed in the UAE capital at 12.30pm.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu had on Sunday commissioned the Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL).
The first flight, IX715, was flagged off by the chief guests at 10am. All 180 passengers received a gift each from KIAL.
This is the fourth international airport in the state, the rest are in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
Hundreds of people, including politicians, were present to witness a cultural programme ahead of the take off of the Abu Dhabi flight. Two more flights were listed for the day.
Flights that would operate from here includes those to the UAE, Oman, Qatar, besides domestic ones to Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai among others.
The KIAL is slated to serve more than 1.5 million international passengers annually.
It is expected to boost tourism in Kannur, Kasargode, Wayanad and increase trade and commerce in the handloom and spices sectors.
The Rs 1,892-crore airport is located at Mattanur, 16 km from Kannur, and is spread over 2,000 acres.
With this, Kerala will be the only state in the country to have four international airports. The other three are at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
Kannur International Airport takes on wings today .
A really proud moment and a long cherished dream for all Kannurites #KannurAirport @airportCNN pic.twitter.com/fsZ1Nrcj7Z
- Anoop Chathoth (@anoopc) December 9, 2018
The Kannur airport will have parking bays for 14 Code E aircraft or 20 Code C aircraft and will be able to handle 2,000 passengers at a time.
The KIAL is slated to serve more than 1.5 million international passengers annually.
The airport will start off with a runway of 3,050 metres. The runway length will increase to 3,400 metres, eventually touching 4,000 metres.
Abu Dhabi carrier welcomed over 1.4 million passengers last month
World’s busiest international airport is working hard to mitigate the impact of the adverse weather for normal operations within 24 hours
Recognising the challenge for passengers, the airline said it is working to secure accommodation and other amenities for the passengers at the airport
Several passengers stranded at the airport have been provided with drinks and meals wherever possible
Passengers who do not have Dubai as their final destination will not be accepted for travel
Rains and thunderstorms hit different parts of the UAE on Tuesday, prompting authorities to issue safety advisories for residents and travellers
Videos shared on different social media platforms on Tuesday showed runways were flooded after heavy rains across the UAE
Passengers asked to check directly with airlines to get latest information and allow extra travel time to the airport