The Union Cabinet has cleared the proposal to
declare Mangalore as an international airport. The approval comes exactly six
years after the airport began international operations.
It was on October 3, 2006, the first Air India
Express flight from Dubai landed in Mangalore airport, marking the beginning of
its international operations.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting to promote
air cargo complex in Mangalore, organised by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (KCCI), M.R. Vasudeva, Airport Director, Mangalore, said that the
Union Cabinet gave its approval to upgrading customs aerodrome in Mangalore to
the status of international airport on Thursday.
Mangalore airport was declared customs aerodrome
on May 3, 2006. He hoped that the international status to Mangalore will help
it attract more airlines.
At present, Air India Express connects Mangalore
with destinations in West Asia such as Abu Dhabi Muscat, Dubai, Kuwait, Doha
and Qatar.
Addressing the KCCI members earlier, D.
Purushottam, Commissioner of Customs, Mangalore, said he was pursuing the
proposal of the trade and commerce bodies to set up an air cargo complex in
Mangalore at the highest level.
Mohammed Ameen, president of KCCI, said the
Chamber has been demanding an air cargo complex in Mangalore since 1998. The
AAI has set up necessary infrastructure for this, he said.
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