The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is geared up to resume international flights from the Visakhapatnam International Airport from Saturday (November 1) as announced by Union Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju in the past. The Air India flight from Dubai to Visakhapatnam is expected to arrive here at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
The AI Vizag-Dubai flight via Hyderabad will leave Visakhapatnam at 6.20 p.m. International passengers flying by this daily flight have been forced to fly as domestic passengers to Hyderabad and getting their immigration check done there for nearly two weeks. This was necessitated as the Customs and Immigration Office at the New Terminal Building was badly damaged during the very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud.
Equipment in placeScanners and other equipment at the Customs and Immigration Office were made serviceable after the cyclone and the conveyor belt and the X-ray machine were found to be functional.
There are four high mast lights at the airport for visibility of the runway to facilitate landing and take-off during nights. All the four have been damaged, including three of them beyond repair. The AAI restored one high-mast light and affixed additional lights to partly make up for the loss of the other three. “Mobile flood lights have also been requisitioned from Hyderabad by road to provide better visibility on the runway,” Airport Director C. Pattabhi told The Hindu on Friday.
Meanwhile, the other international airline, Silk Air, is likely to resume its services from November 16. “The airline which operates direct flights from Visakhapatnam to Singapore operates on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The airline officials are planning to send teams for inspection of the runway and other facilities,” Mr. Pattabhi added.
