Mangalore: Aerobridges trial run commences

TNN

Mangalore, 06 November 2010: Passengers on board international flights IX 383 arriving from Dubai, IX 819 from Kuwait and domestic flight 9W433 and 9W432 from Mumbai landing at Mangalore airport here on Friday had a pleasant surprise waiting for them. Rather than walk the entire distance from the aircraft to the new integrated terminal building, they ambled out of the aircraft in to the new aerobridges and entered the swanky terminal with ease.

 

 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday accorded permission to authorities of Mangalore airport here to put the two aerobridges requisitioned from Indonesia on trial basis for a period of three months. Although the Rs 2.6 crore aerobridge was brought and installed eight months ago, the airport authorities here were waiting for approval from DGCA to start their trials and got the go ahead on Thursday.

 

The main use of having aerobridges, Airport director M R Vasudeva explained is that the passengers can board after completing the check in formalities and disembark the aircraft directly from and in to the new terminal building. This will also spare the passengers of putting up with the vagaries of nature where they either have to trudge to and from the aircraft braving the heat during the summer or heavy rains during the monsoon.

 

The only hitch is that passengers traveling on ATR aircraft operated by airlines for operations to and from Bangalore will not be able to use the aerobridges as this facility is not designed for this type of aircraft. The aerobridges can be used with Airbus 320, Airbus 321 or Boeing 737-800 aircraft that are used by airlines for operations to major destinations in Middle East, West Asia, Kozhikode and Kochi, Vasudeva explained.

 

Noting that the tender process for the Rs 26 crore new air traffic control was on at the AAI headquarters, Vasudeva said the same would come up adjacent to the new fire station. The present ATC is located at the old terminal building at Bajpe and does not have full view of the runway and operational areas.

 

The airport at present provides air traffic services to planes flying in a radius of 256 nautical miles from the airport.