Aero-India 2019: KIA partially closed from Thursday

To facilitate flight trials for the Aero India 2019 airshow, the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will be partially closed for 10 days, starting Thursday, February 14. This will mean commercial flights will not take off or land during the airshow hours.

The closure will affect operations of over 100 flights. Taking advantage of the lowered frequency of flights, airlines have hiked their fares by 20 to 30 per cent.

The airport's partial closure from February 14 to 17 will be between 1.30 pm and 4.30 pm. For the full dress rehearsal and flight practice for the airshow at the Yelahanka Air Force Station here on February 18 and 19, the KIA will have no flights taking off or landing between 10 am and 12 noon.

On February 20, the airshow inauguration day, KIA operations will be stopped from 9 am to 12 noon. The flights at the Devanahalli-based airport will be halted again from 2 pm to 5 pm for the aerobatic displays at the airshow venue.

The closure schedule will more or less remain the same for the rest of the airshow days from February 21 to 24. The morning closure will be from 10 am to 12 noon and the evening halt from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) Chief Executive Officer, Hari Marar had recently reiterated that all airlines were informed well in advance about the closure. The airlines had accordingly changed their schedules and communicated this to their passengers.

The cancelled/revised flight timings during the airshow have been updated on airline websites and related booking sites. The airport's portal (www.bengaluruairport.com) has also put up the closure timings.