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Domestic airlines will have to reschedule and curtail flights to Goa for 45 days starting April 15 due to runway upgradation. The Goa airport currently handles 104 flights daily.
The Defence Ministry which controls the airport is carrying out recarpeting of the runway. Work will begin April 1 on either side of the runway, while the resurfacing of the central portion will start April 15 onwards.
Between April 15 and May 31, the runway will be open only for six hours in morning (5-11 a.m.) for Indian Navy as well as commercial airlines. This will impact airlines which will have to reschedule or club their flights to Goa.
Under normal circumstances, the Goa airport is closed to civilian flights between 8.30 a.m to 1 p.m daily, during which time it is used exclusively by the Navy.
"We are aware of the change in the airport operation timings. We have submitted our request to the relevant authorities," a spokesperson for the newly-launched Vistara Airlines said. "At present we are waiting for the allocation of revised slots. Once we get the confirmed new slots, we will publish our revised schedule."
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents private airlines, has written to the Civil Aviation Ministry seeking postponement of the runway upgrade work. According to the FIA, the runway closure will result in numerous flight cancellations and will affect large number of passengers.
"These kind of runway closures need to be confirmed atleast 120 days in advance so as to give adequate notice to all stake holders to work out alternate plans. The available infrastructure at airport will not suffice for all operations between 5-11 a.m and will cause safety hazards," FIA's associate director Ujjwal Dey wrote in a letter to the ministry.
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However, Goa airport officials said the runway closure issue had been discussed with airlines and that prior intimation had been given to them. The Airport Authority of India is also proposing extending operations by two hours daily till 1 p.m but a decision is yet to be taken.
Earlier, it had been proposed to close the runway for upgrade in October, but was pushed to March and again to to April in view of charter season which begins in October.
