Calicut airport resumes domestic operations

After a two-month gap, Calicut international airport resumed the operation of domestic flights from Monday.

Airport Director K. Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu that an Indigo flight operated in the Bengaluru-Kozhikode sector. The ATR72 aircraft arrived with 59 passengers and departed with 57 passengers in the evening.

He added that the third phase of the Vande Bharat Mission aimed at evacuating Indian citizens from abroad would go full throttle from Tuesday. Flights would be operated daily to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain on priority basis.

A chartered flight from Kuwait was expected to land at the Calicut airport on Tuesday. Several organisations in Kuwait planned the service for repatriating stranded Non-Resident Keralites following the COVID-19 lockdown. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had granted permission for the chartered flight, Mr. Rao said.

Standard procedures

He said the airport had been strictly adhering to the Standard Operating Procedure laid down by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Flyers would have to go through multiple procedures including thermal scanning at the airport.

Passengers would be allowed into the terminal building if their flights were within four hours. They should produce confirmed web check-in status to enter the airport. There will be no physical check-in and passengers would have to wear mask and gloves during the entire period of the journey.

“Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to travel. Besides, they will have to install Aarogya Setu app. If green status is not shown in the mobile app or they do not have the mandatory government contact-tracing app, they will not be permitted to board the aircraft,” he said.