Kochi airport resumes operations after 14 days

Kochi: The Kochi airport resumed operations this afternoon, a fortnight after it was shut due to floods that wreaked havoc across Kerala.

Cochin International Airport, among the busiest in the country, suffered an estimated loss of ₹ 220-250 crore after it was closed on August 15. The airport has commenced full-scale operations -- both international and domestic -- with an Indigo flight from Ahmedabad making the first landing at around 2.05 pm, said a spokesperson of the CIAL, the company that operates it. He said there would be 33 landings and 30 departures till midnight.

The airport was earlier scheduled to commence operations on Sunday, but had extended the date by three days after most stakeholders, including airlines and ground-handling agencies, expressed concern over mobilising manpower.

The CIAL management has rebuilt the damaged infrastructure, including 2.6 km of airport walls that collapsed after the Periyar river overflowed. Airport officials had said that the runway, taxi bay, duty-free shops and other areas of the international and domestic terminals were submerged, damaging electrical equipment, including runway lights.

The power system of the world’s first solar-powered airport also suffered damage, they had said.

The state’s deadliest deluge in 100 years left a trail of destruction and claimed 474 lives in rain-related incidents since May 29.