AAI to extend new runway at Bajpe

Raviprasad Kamila The Hindu

It will help in handling operations of larger aircraft at the airport
Bajpe airport now handles aircraft with a seating capacity of 186
Concrete runway will be extended to a length of 2. 8 km
MANGALORE: Mangalore Airport is all set to prepare itself to receive larger aircraft by late next year. It will even be able to handle Boeing 747 with limited load.
The airport, which handles aircraft with seating capacity of 186 at present will be able to handle aircraft with 300 seats.
To facilitate this, the Airports Authority of India (AAI ) has allowed the airport to extend the length of the new concrete runway.
The airport at Bajpe has two runways.
The old bituminous (tar) runway having a length of 1.6 km and the new concrete runway with a length of 2.4 km.
Director of the airport M.R. Vasudeva told The Hindu that the AAI had approved the extension of the concrete runway by 350 metres. It will be extended on both the sides to take its length to 2.8 km. A tender would be called within a fortnight.Work
The work will begin in November or December and will be completed in 2009. After due inspection by the AAI authorities concerned and trial runs, larger aircraft will be allowed to land and take off from it.
By late next year, the extended portion of the runway could be put into use. He said that no private land need to be acquired to extend the runway. Mr. Vasudeva said that once the extended portion was ready, Boeing 767 aircraft can operate with full load. “Airbus 330 aircraft can also operate,” he said.
However, Boeing 747 can operate with a “restricted load” up to a maximum of 330 tonnes.
If it is to operate with its full loading capacity of 370 tonnes, the airport should have a runway of 3 km. Mr. Vasudeva said that presently aircraft such as Boeing 737-800, Airbus 321, Airbus 319 and Airbus 320 land at the airport.
He said that once the length of the runway was extended, airlines could operate larger aircraft having more seating capacity especially to West Asian countries.
The airport has flight service to five West Asian countries. Presently Air India Express, budget airlines of the Air India, operates all flights between Mangalore and West Asian airports.
Chellam Prasad, Station Manager, Air India, Mangalore airport, said that if the runway was extended, then Air India could examine operating larger aircraft to West Asian countries.
Pramod Nair, Station Manager, Jet Airways, Mangalore Airport, said that the total number of seats in Boeings 767 and 747 and Airbus varied depending on the number of business and economy class seat ratio.