In recent years, Kozhikode Airport has played a significant role in boosting the economic development of the region. The airport has also been instrumental in promoting tourism, as it serves as the gateway to some of the popular tourist destinations in Kerala, including Wayanad, Malappuram, and the historic city of Kozhikode itself. But with a steady growth in passenger traffic over the years. But with the ongoing land dispute, large flight operations may be curtailed at this airport.
Why Large Flight Operations May Be Disturbed At Kozhikode Airport
The airport at Calicut, also known as Kozhikode, is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The airport would have a runway end safety area. However, there are reports that indicate the state government’s delay in providing the required land for the same.
Even, Jyotiraditya Scindia, minister of civil aviation expressed ‘deep anguish’ over the state’s holdup in allocating the land needed for the Calicut airport’s installation of a runway end safety area. Scindia further stated that the civil aviation ministry will be forced to take steps to shorten the runway length for safe aircraft operations starting in August if the land is not given to the AAI.
If this happens so, from August 1, large aircraft like A321s and B737s may no longer be permitted to use the Kozhikode airport due to the Kerala government’s failure to transfer the land needed to extend the present runway.
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Why Is RESA Important For The Runway?
Having the runway end safety area, or RESA, is important. This acts as a buffer zone at the end of the runway that guards against fatalities and aircraft damage in the event that an aircraft overshoots or undershoots the landing strip.
This issue has been pertaining due to the fatal accident of the Air India Express Boeing 737 plane on August 7, 2020. The crash resulted in the death of 21 passengers. The plane overshot Kozhikode runway then. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) pinpointed pilot error as the cause and recommended the creation of RESA. The minister also pointed out that the safety of passengers is being gravely compromised due to the non-provision of RESA.
The 184-passenger aeroplane veered off the tabletop runway and split in two after impacting the nose-first onto the ground. It was the nation’s worst incident involving commercial aircraft in the previous ten years.
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