<p> Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) V V Rao said it is a wrong notion that passengers from Kasargod and Madikeri will prefer Kannur International Airport to Mangaluru International airport once the Kannur airport starts functioning. <br /><br />Addressing media persons at his maiden press conference at the airport on Thursday, Rao said the passengers from Kannur area, who were boarding flights from Calicut airport, may use Kannur airport, but not those from Mangaluru region.<br /><br />To a query on expansion of runway at MIA, Rao, quoting Airports Authority India (AAI), said that the project cost turns out to be too high, financially not viable and there is no guarantee that wide-bodied aircraft will land at the aiport even if huge amount is invested in extending the runway. “How many airlines have wide-bodied aircraft and how many of them are ready to operate via MIA,” he sought to know.<br /><br />To another query, he said that even if the runway is extended from the existing 2,450 metres to at least 3,050 metres (minimum requirement for wide-bodied aircraft to land), the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may not give permission for it as it is a table top runway.<br /><br />Steep rise in passengers <br /><br />Stating that a new arrival building measuring about 9,000 sqm will come up exclusively for international passengers, he said that there is steep rise in the number passengers flying from MIA. “From 5,500 passengers in August 2016, the number of passengers using MIA per day has gone up to 7,500 passengers per day (now),” he added.<br /><br />As of now, there are 60 movements (30 flights landing and 30 taking off) per day. One more flight service to Chennai via Mumbai will begin from October 1, he added.<br /><br />Local flavour<br /><br />Noting that AAI is taking steps to give local touch to MIA, he said that plans are on the anvil to showcase local art work/murals and advertisements have been given inviting curators to take up the project.<br /><br />“None from Mangaluru has applied for it,” he said.<br /><br />Maiden Dussehra<br /><br />As airports are a touch-point for the travellers to interact with the region, the AAI planned to celebrate Dussehra in a local way by inviting artistes from the region, he said and added that the three-day celebrations was a great success.<br /><br />A Sugam Sangeet programme was organised on September 26, Sursagar fusion band flute concert enthralled the audience on September 27. The tiger dance on Thursday was a crowd puller, he noted.<br /><br /><br /><br /> </p>
<p> Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) V V Rao said it is a wrong notion that passengers from Kasargod and Madikeri will prefer Kannur International Airport to Mangaluru International airport once the Kannur airport starts functioning. <br /><br />Addressing media persons at his maiden press conference at the airport on Thursday, Rao said the passengers from Kannur area, who were boarding flights from Calicut airport, may use Kannur airport, but not those from Mangaluru region.<br /><br />To a query on expansion of runway at MIA, Rao, quoting Airports Authority India (AAI), said that the project cost turns out to be too high, financially not viable and there is no guarantee that wide-bodied aircraft will land at the aiport even if huge amount is invested in extending the runway. “How many airlines have wide-bodied aircraft and how many of them are ready to operate via MIA,” he sought to know.<br /><br />To another query, he said that even if the runway is extended from the existing 2,450 metres to at least 3,050 metres (minimum requirement for wide-bodied aircraft to land), the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may not give permission for it as it is a table top runway.<br /><br />Steep rise in passengers <br /><br />Stating that a new arrival building measuring about 9,000 sqm will come up exclusively for international passengers, he said that there is steep rise in the number passengers flying from MIA. “From 5,500 passengers in August 2016, the number of passengers using MIA per day has gone up to 7,500 passengers per day (now),” he added.<br /><br />As of now, there are 60 movements (30 flights landing and 30 taking off) per day. One more flight service to Chennai via Mumbai will begin from October 1, he added.<br /><br />Local flavour<br /><br />Noting that AAI is taking steps to give local touch to MIA, he said that plans are on the anvil to showcase local art work/murals and advertisements have been given inviting curators to take up the project.<br /><br />“None from Mangaluru has applied for it,” he said.<br /><br />Maiden Dussehra<br /><br />As airports are a touch-point for the travellers to interact with the region, the AAI planned to celebrate Dussehra in a local way by inviting artistes from the region, he said and added that the three-day celebrations was a great success.<br /><br />A Sugam Sangeet programme was organised on September 26, Sursagar fusion band flute concert enthralled the audience on September 27. The tiger dance on Thursday was a crowd puller, he noted.<br /><br /><br /><br /> </p>
