Cochin International Airport
Encyclopedia
Cochin International Airport is an international airport located in Nedumbassery
, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi
about 30 km (18.6 mi) northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala
, India
. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala
. For the financial year 2010-11, it was the seventh busiest airport in India in terms of overall passenger traffic carrying 4,340,736 passengers and fourth busiest in terms of international passenger traffic ferrying 2,358,579 passengers.
The airport is the primary base for Air India Express operations and is a focus city for Air India
, GoAir, IndiGo
, Jet Airways
, JetLite, SpiceJet
and Kingfisher Airlines
.
Cochin International Airport is the first airport in India
developed under a public-private partnership
(PPP) model. The airport pioneered the concept of private investment in the airport sector after being incorporated as a public limited company
, receiving investments from nearly 10,000 non-resident Indian
s (NRIs) from 30 countries.
The airport handled 4.3 million passengers and had air traffic movements (ATM) of about 411 per week for the year 2009–10. The airport handles approximately 800 aircraft per week, with 10,800 passengers each day. 8 domestic airlines and 16 international airlines connect Kochi with nearly 40 destinations nationally and internationally.
, built in 1936 by the British Residency of Kochi Kingdom, intended for transporting British officials involved in the development of Cochin Port. The airstrip was converted into a military airport by the Royal Indian Navy
during World War II
. The military facility hosted naval fighter planes and was intended to thwart possible Japan
ese air raids.
After Indian Independence
the Indian Navy operated the airport, though it permitted civilian aircraft to use the facility. The Gulf economic boom of the 1980s made it necessary to develop international transportation to Kochi in the interests of expatriates working in the Middle East.
In October 1990 the Kerala Chamber of Commerce, supported by local industry, passed a resolution to expand the Naval airport to accommodate large jets and facilitate direct flights to the Middle East. The resolution was rejected by the Navy for security reasons. A new airport was built near Kochi in 1991 instead.
A total of 1500 acre (6,070,290 m²) acres of land was acquired for the construction of the airport. Approximately 2,300 land owners and 872 families were resettled under a rehabilitation package. Major electric lines and an irrigation canal had to be diverted for the construction.
The facility was formally inaugurated by the President of India on May 25, 1999, and the first commercial service began on June 10, 1999. The operations from the old naval airport were moved to CIAL on July 1, 1999.
With a rising number of airlines operating at the airport, CIAL decided to construct an exclusive terminal for international arrivals which increased the floor space to 420000 sq ft (39,019.3 m²), increasing passport controls and baggage carousels in addition to expanding the international departures floor space. As part of phase two of the expansion plans, an airline center complex of was constructed on the western side of the terminal to accommodate offices of airlines operating from the airport and CIAL's administrative offices. The cargo terminal was also expanded in the second phase.
As per the announced plans, the current international terminal is planned to convert completely into Domestic terminal, while a new state-of-the-art international terminal being planned. As per new plans announced by Board of Directors in September 2011, the new international terminal would come up at eastern side of existing structure. The built up space of new terminal would be 1000000 sq ft (92,903 m²) (I million Sqft) having segrated departures and arrivals at different levels. The terminal will have 16 aero-bridges and additional 30 parking bays. The new terminal have a capacity to handle 4000 passengers at any given point of time. The arrivals will have 10 baggage carousels and increased immigration facilities. The new terminal is expected to be commissioned by last quarter of 2014.
With completion of 4th phase, the total built up area of the airport would increase to 1600000 sq ft (148,644.9 m²), making the airport to be third largest in the country, in terms of size.
The current domestic terminal would be converted into Royal Pavilion, for handling VIP and private chartered flights and jets. The current international terminal, once converted into domestic terminal, will have 5 aero-bridges and 6 boarding gates facility, apart from increased parking bays.
based Emke Group
; the Oman
based Galfar Group; UAE based Majeed Bukatara Trading; Kochi
based Synthite Group; and several local businesses. Central government enterprises like Air India
, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Airports Authority of India
(AAI) and scheduled commercial banks such as the Federal Bank
, State Bank of Travancore
(SBT), and Canara Bank
also own stakes in the company. The remaining shares are held by the general public. Over 10,000 personal investors from 29 countries, mostly non resident Indians, hold shares in the company. In the financial year 2009–10 the airport recorded a gross income of , a growth of 22.3% over the previous year. The profit after tax was , which was a growth of 30.7% over the previous year.
The Chief Minister of Kerala
(Oommen Chandy
at present) is the ex-officio chairman of CIAL. V. J. Kurian is the Managing Director of the company, appointed on the 10th June 2011.
The domestic terminal has an area of 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²) and is designed to handle up to 500 passengers at peak times. The departure hall has 20 Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) enabled check-in counters, including 5 premium check-in counters. It also has 5 security gates and a common waiting area that can accommodate 400 passengers at a time. A family lounge and a premium lounge for business class
passengers are also present. A children's play area and small food court are housed in the waiting area. Four gates facility are available for domestic passengers. The arrivals hall has 2 baggage carousels.
After the construction of the new international terminal, it is planned to convert the existing international terminal to a domestic terminal and reserve the current domestic terminal for business jets.
International
The international terminal covers an area of 478000 sq ft (44,407.7 m²). Both the departure and arrival halls of the international terminal are designed to accommodate 1500 people each at any given time. The departure hall is equipped with 37 CUTE enabled check-in counters, including 5 premium check-in counters. The airport is the fifth airport in India to install advanced in-line baggage screening systems, replacing conventional x-ray based manual screening. It also has 30 passport control counters, 10 security gates and 6 customs
counters. There are two premium lounges for first class and business class passengers. There are 8 gates and 5 jetways. The arrival hall has 23 passport control counters and 4 baggage carousels.
On 24 September 2011, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced the decision to build a new international terminal at the Cochin International Airport at a cost of 400 crore. According to the proposal given by CIAL, a state-of-the-art new international terminal will be capable of handling 10 million passengers per annum with a peak hour capacity of 4,000 passengers. The terminal will have 16 parking bays with full aerobridge connectivity. The bays will be constructed in a phased manner and the airport will have a total of 40 parking bays. The terminal is expected to cater to the traffic requirements of the airport for the next 15 years.
Cargo
Cochin Airport has a dedicated cargo center located on the eastern side of the airport complex. The cargo center is one of the largest facilities in the country with a total floor space of 120000 sq ft (11,148.4 m²) in 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land. The cargo terminal handled around 40,000 MT last year, with more than 25% growth. There are three complexes in the cargo village:
In addition, an exclusive domestic cargo complex has also been constructed for private domestic logistics firms and India Post services.
(ATC) tower is 45 m (147.6 ft) tall. Cochin ATC controls flights below an altitude of 15000 ft (4,572 m). The airport has an instrument landing system
(ILS) using distance measuring equipment
(DME). The ATC uses Doppler VHF omni range I and II.
to install an advanced airport surveillance radar
(ASR) as well as Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR). In addition, the airport coming is installing a Surface Movement Radar for effective monitoring of flights in the runway and parking bays. The new radar system will make it possible to reduce the holding time of the aircraft before landing from the present level of 12 minutes to three minutes. This means that four aircraft can land within 12 minutes whereas it takes about 40 minutes for this currently. The radar will also allow more accurate alignment tracking for landing of the aircraft. The radars will be installed near the runway. The radar at Cochin airport will be networked with the systems at the Chennai
, Mangalore
and Thiruvananthapuram airports. The radar is expected to cost about 25 lakh and it will be imported from France
.
Cochin Airport has one helipad for dedicated use of helicopters, meant for air-taxi purposes. Plans for constructing a heliport are underway.
In pursuit of earning more non-aeronautical revenue, CIAL has set up shopping facilities. The Cochin duty-free shop
in the international terminal is the first full-scale duty free shop in India, and one of the largest managed by Alpha Kreol, a joint venture between Alpha UK and Kreol Middle East. The arrivals hall has a large duty-free shopping area of 13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²) spread over two floors. The departure block duty-free area is under construction, though a last-minute shopping counter of 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) allows passengers to buy selected products. A book shop and ethnic Indian Khādī
products promoted by KVIC Kerala, selling traditional Kerala souvenirs and Khadi clothes.
A 20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²) departure terminal duty-free area is under construction, with a 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) food-court, a wellness spa and 2 fine dining restaurants and a sports bar. The departures duty-free is expected to open by first quarter of 2012. It is also planned to setup a handicraft retail shop similar to "Dilli Haat" (दिल्ली हात) in New Delhi.
Food and beverages
The International Departures Terminal have 2 multi-cuisine, fine dining restaurant cum lounge bars. The pre-check in lounge bar is operated by TajSats, located at entrance of Check-in hall, while an open terrace dining cum lounge bar, Firefly, is located on second floor at the departures security hold area. There are also several small cafes and sandwich counters operating in both the domestic and international terminals. A large cafe and a mini food court service the waiting lounge of the domestic terminal. A food court is under construction in the international terminal.
Hospitality
Five airport hotels exist within 200 m from the terminal complex of the airport, including a luxury resort. CIAL is planning to award contracts for a hotel resort and international convention center facility near the airport golf club, for which tenders have been issued.
The airport company has ventured into the tourism and hospitality sector through a wholly owned subsidiary, CIAL Tours and Tourism Limited (CTTL). CTTL provides customized tour packages, holiday services and conducts air-charter services with the collaboration of Bharat Airways, Deccan Aviation and K-Air Charters.
Ground-handling is controlled by 3 companies, namely AISATS
, Bird Worldwide Flight Services-BWFS
and Livewel Aviation Services.
Fuel supply
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has provided fully fledged state-of-the-art aircraft refueling facilities. A 1400 m long pipeline from the fuel depot to the last aircraft parking bay ensures direct fuel-connectivity. Each aircraft parking bay will have two hydrant pit boxes, pit valves, and emergency isolation valves to international API/IP standards. A modern fully automated tank-farm is also commissioned within the airport area.
A project to lay underground pipelines to transport aviation turbine fuel (ATF) directly from the BPCL Kochi refinery is under construction. These pipelines will stretch about 33 km, from the refinery to the aircraft turbine fuel station. This would mean there will be no need to depend on trucks for transport. The avoidance of fuel tankers on the roads provides a promising step in decongestion of the city roads. The project is estimated to cost and is expected to be operational from April 2011.
BPCL also provides refueling for all airport vehicles, as well as passenger vehicles, through its main petrol station outside the terminal.
Flight kitchen and caterers
Cochin airport has issued operating permits to Casino Air Flight Services (CAFS), Saj Flight Kitchen and TAJ-SATS Flight services to provide in-flight catering services to all airlines operating from Cochin. In addition, Lulu-Oberoi Inflight Catering services and Ambassador Sky-Chef are scheduled to start their services by July 2012.
Maintenance, repair and overhaul
Cochin airport, through its subsidiary Cochin International Aviation Services Limited (CIASL), has commissioned a 135000 sq ft (12,541.9 m²) maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility on 32 acres (129,499.5 m²), at an initial cost of . The first phase includes hangars for two narrow-body aircraft, with facilities for a line maintenance run-up bay, workshops, aircraft parking and a taxiway link. The second phase proposes an additional two narrow-body hangars and two wide-body hangars, more parking bays and workshops. CIASL is in partnership talks with an American aircraft maintenance company to construct and operate the MRO facility. Air India has expressed its interest in partnering with CIASL for additional MRO facilities for its aircraft. With this project, CIASL proposes to attract large-scale investments from leading OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and hopes to reach out to cargo operators and business jets, especially from the growing markets of India, West Asia and South-East Asia.
decided to hand over airport security to CISF in the wake of the hijacking of Indian Airlines IC-814
. Security was handled by the Special Branch
of Kochi Police
prior to the CISF. The airport company's Aviation Safety Wing (ASW) oversees security facilities and equipment. The ASW is also responsible for the fire and emergency services.
CIAL is the only airport in the country with internally trained private security agents, specializing in intelligence gathering and passenger profiling. Security management training is provided by CIAL's Aviation Academy and personnel are employed by the company as security agents; deployed in baggage screening rooms, entry gates, the general cargo area, and the lounge areas. CIAL ASW also employs Army
-trained sniffer dogs to check for explosives in baggage areas, the only Indian airport to have such a facility. CIAL has also introduced 3 state-of-the-art ION scanning detectors that can identify small amounts of material, down to nanograms of explosives. The external security in parking areas, visitors lounges, cafes and other non-sensitive areas outside the terminal are handled by a private security company.
The airport is under the direct protection of the Kochi City Police
, who have a police station outside the terminal. CISF maintains 2 armed squadrons and one Bomb Detection & Disposal Squad. CISF also has a command center located 250 metres outside the terminal, with an intelligence division and mobilization cell. The Air Customs division also operates a narcotics detection squad in the terminal. The CIAL ASWs are working on installing a fully automated perimeter intrusion detection system that will detect any possible case of intrusion on the perimeter of the airport, using sensors that will provide critical time for the security forces to react. Phase one of the intrusion prevention system is in place with barricades, automatic retractable bollards, surveillance cameras, parking gate management systems and the introduction of biometric ID cards for staff. The immigration department is handled by Special Branch
officials trained by the Bureau of Immigration.
(IGNOU) to start two schools in aviation education:
(MC Road), one of the State Highways of Kerala. An expressway is planned from NH 49 to the MC Road to facilitate faster transport. The main railway line is approximately 500 meters from the airport. An airport railway station, approved by Indian Railways
, will be situated 300 meters away from the terminal. As of now, the nearest railway stations are Angamaly
and Aluva
.
and Kozhikode
. The airport, in association with Bharat Airways, provides scheduled air-taxi services to Sabarimala
.
which operates two class of bus services. The nearest bus-stations are Angamaly
Bus Depot and Aluva Rajiv Gandhi Municipal Bus Station from where local, long distance and inter-state buses operate.
The following is a list of bus services to and from the airport:
, or Airport City, with a total area of 500 acres (2 km²). The aerotropolis was proposed by its founder, V J Kurien, to ensure additional revenue sources for the growth of the company and to increase airport traffic through tourism and allied activities. The proposed Aerotropolis will be located in Nedumbassery and nearby villages, aiming to convert into a self-sustainable town, with the airport forming the core element along with a residential zone. Work on the aerotropolis commenced in 2007.
(SEZ) for aircraft-allied industries, especially spare parts and OEM manufacturing units, an airline research and development center, workshops, and service zones. In addition to this an Information Technology Park, with dedicated airline support technology, design and development centers is also proposed. An integrated logistics center and central container freight station are planned at the cargo village.
CIAL's proposal for establishing the SEZ was approved by the Board of Approval of SEZs in 2008; however, work is yet to start due to the global recession. The project is estimated to begin by August 2011.
Nedumbassery
Nedumbassery is a suburb of the city of Kochi situated north of the city and from Thrissur in Kerala, India. The town lies between the two municipalities of Aluva and Angamaly in the Greater Cochin region. It has a population of 28,607 as on 2001, with a sex-ratio of 1012 females to 1000 males...
, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
about 30 km (18.6 mi) northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. For the financial year 2010-11, it was the seventh busiest airport in India in terms of overall passenger traffic carrying 4,340,736 passengers and fourth busiest in terms of international passenger traffic ferrying 2,358,579 passengers.
The airport is the primary base for Air India Express operations and is a focus city for Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
, GoAir, IndiGo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
, JetLite, SpiceJet
SpiceJet
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, India. It began service in May 2005 and by 2008, it was India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in...
and Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines is an airline group based in India. Its head office is Kingfisher House in Vile Parle , Mumbai. Kingfisher Airlines, through its parent company United Breweries Group, has a 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red....
.
Cochin International Airport is the first airport in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
developed under a public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
(PPP) model. The airport pioneered the concept of private investment in the airport sector after being incorporated as a public limited company
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
, receiving investments from nearly 10,000 non-resident Indian
Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
s (NRIs) from 30 countries.
The airport handled 4.3 million passengers and had air traffic movements (ATM) of about 411 per week for the year 2009–10. The airport handles approximately 800 aircraft per week, with 10,800 passengers each day. 8 domestic airlines and 16 international airlines connect Kochi with nearly 40 destinations nationally and internationally.
History
The original air facilities in Kochi were an aerodome and airstrip on Willingdon IslandWillingdon Island
Willingdon Island is an island, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling dredged soil around a previously existed, but tiny natural island...
, built in 1936 by the British Residency of Kochi Kingdom, intended for transporting British officials involved in the development of Cochin Port. The airstrip was converted into a military airport by the Royal Indian Navy
Royal Indian Navy
The Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies and the later British Indian Army it comprised the Armed Forces of British India....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The military facility hosted naval fighter planes and was intended to thwart possible Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese air raids.
After Indian Independence
Independence Day (India)
The Independence Day of India is celebrated on the fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in...
the Indian Navy operated the airport, though it permitted civilian aircraft to use the facility. The Gulf economic boom of the 1980s made it necessary to develop international transportation to Kochi in the interests of expatriates working in the Middle East.
In October 1990 the Kerala Chamber of Commerce, supported by local industry, passed a resolution to expand the Naval airport to accommodate large jets and facilitate direct flights to the Middle East. The resolution was rejected by the Navy for security reasons. A new airport was built near Kochi in 1991 instead.
Construction
The original proposal for the airport outlined an estimated cost of and an expected date of commission in 1997, approval was granted in May 1993. The funding was envisaged to be from interest-free loans from non-resident Indians working abroad, donations from industrial undertakings, exporters, cooperative societies and loans from the state government. A body called the Cochin International Airport Society, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister of Kerala, was registered in July 1993 to execute the project. For the purposes of better fund mobilisation, as well as administrative convenience, a public limited company under the name Cochin International Airport Ltd. (CIAL) was registered in March 1994 with an authorised capital ofA total of 1500 acre (6,070,290 m²) acres of land was acquired for the construction of the airport. Approximately 2,300 land owners and 872 families were resettled under a rehabilitation package. Major electric lines and an irrigation canal had to be diverted for the construction.
The facility was formally inaugurated by the President of India on May 25, 1999, and the first commercial service began on June 10, 1999. The operations from the old naval airport were moved to CIAL on July 1, 1999.
Phase 1 and 2
The airport had 250000 sq ft (23,225.8 m²) of floor space at its inauguration. CIAL envisioned six phases of expansion over a period of 20 years, the third phase of which was completed in 2009. Most of the expansion has occurred in the international terminal, as it accounts for more than 78% of all traffic. In 2002 the original airport's floor area had risen to 300000 sq ft (27,870.9 m²) due to the expansion of the international departures block.With a rising number of airlines operating at the airport, CIAL decided to construct an exclusive terminal for international arrivals which increased the floor space to 420000 sq ft (39,019.3 m²), increasing passport controls and baggage carousels in addition to expanding the international departures floor space. As part of phase two of the expansion plans, an airline center complex of was constructed on the western side of the terminal to accommodate offices of airlines operating from the airport and CIAL's administrative offices. The cargo terminal was also expanded in the second phase.
Phase 3
Work on the third phase was intended to accommodate 5 million passenger movements annually and was started in 2007. The third phase involved the commissioning of a central block, connecting the domestic and international terminals, and enlarging the airside area to accommodate more gates and waiting areas along with increased shopping areas. This increased the built up area by another 160000 sq ft (14,864.5 m²). The airside area of the international arrivals and departures blocks were integrated together and glass walls were installed to allow for more natural light. The runway was re-surfaced in 2008. The parking areas were increased from 12 to 18, including 2 dedicated for cargo airlines. The third phase also completed the expansion of the cargo village and a second aircraft taxi-way to the MRO facility.Phase 4
The fourth phase of expansion was originally planned to upgrade the domestic terminal, which has remained untouched in past 3 phases. However the plans got completely changed since the new UDF Government took over the administration of the state in May 2011.As per the announced plans, the current international terminal is planned to convert completely into Domestic terminal, while a new state-of-the-art international terminal being planned. As per new plans announced by Board of Directors in September 2011, the new international terminal would come up at eastern side of existing structure. The built up space of new terminal would be 1000000 sq ft (92,903 m²) (I million Sqft) having segrated departures and arrivals at different levels. The terminal will have 16 aero-bridges and additional 30 parking bays. The new terminal have a capacity to handle 4000 passengers at any given point of time. The arrivals will have 10 baggage carousels and increased immigration facilities. The new terminal is expected to be commissioned by last quarter of 2014.
With completion of 4th phase, the total built up area of the airport would increase to 1600000 sq ft (148,644.9 m²), making the airport to be third largest in the country, in terms of size.
The current domestic terminal would be converted into Royal Pavilion, for handling VIP and private chartered flights and jets. The current international terminal, once converted into domestic terminal, will have 5 aero-bridges and 6 boarding gates facility, apart from increased parking bays.
Management
Cochin airport is the first in India to be built in a public–private partnership and is owned by a public limited company called Cochin International Airport Limited, better known as CIAL, floated by the government of Kerala in 1994. The Kerala government owns a stake of 33.36%, a consortium of multinational companies also hold significant stakes including: the Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
based Emke Group
Lulu Hypermarket
LuLu Hypermarket is a retail venture started by EMKE Group, based in Abu Dhabi. Lulu Hypermarket has outlets in countries like UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Qatar. M.A Yusuffali is the Managing Director of EMKE Group. Lulu Hypermarket has over 20,000 employees of different nationalities...
; the Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
based Galfar Group; UAE based Majeed Bukatara Trading; Kochi
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
based Synthite Group; and several local businesses. Central government enterprises like Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Airports Authority of India
Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
(AAI) and scheduled commercial banks such as the Federal Bank
Federal Bank
Federal Bank Limited is a major Indian commercial bank in the private sector, headquartered at Aluva, Kochi, Kerala. As of March 31 2011 it has 743 branches spread across 24 states in India and 803 ATMs around the country.-History:In the year 1931, Travancore Federal Bank was inaugurated at...
, State Bank of Travancore
State Bank of Travancore
State Bank of Travancore , is a subsidiary of the State Bank Group and also has private share-holders. It is the premier bank of Kerala State, India, where it has 700 branches...
(SBT), and Canara Bank
Canara Bank
Canara Bank is a state-owned financial services company in India. It was established in 1906, making it one of the oldest banks in the country. As on 2009 November, the bank had a network of 3057 branches, spread across India...
also own stakes in the company. The remaining shares are held by the general public. Over 10,000 personal investors from 29 countries, mostly non resident Indians, hold shares in the company. In the financial year 2009–10 the airport recorded a gross income of , a growth of 22.3% over the previous year. The profit after tax was , which was a growth of 30.7% over the previous year.
The Chief Minister of Kerala
Chief Minister of Kerala
The Chief Minister of Kerala is the elected head of government of the state of Kerala, India. By the Constitution of India, the Chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state....
(Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy is an Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of Kerala. He has held the Chief Minister of Kerala position earlier from 2004 to 2006, and was the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011.-Early life:Oommen Chandy or 'Kunjoonju' was born...
at present) is the ex-officio chairman of CIAL. V. J. Kurian is the Managing Director of the company, appointed on the 10th June 2011.
Terminals
DomesticBusiness class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
passengers are also present. A children's play area and small food court are housed in the waiting area. Four gates facility are available for domestic passengers. The arrivals hall has 2 baggage carousels.
After the construction of the new international terminal, it is planned to convert the existing international terminal to a domestic terminal and reserve the current domestic terminal for business jets.
International
The international terminal covers an area of 478000 sq ft (44,407.7 m²). Both the departure and arrival halls of the international terminal are designed to accommodate 1500 people each at any given time. The departure hall is equipped with 37 CUTE enabled check-in counters, including 5 premium check-in counters. The airport is the fifth airport in India to install advanced in-line baggage screening systems, replacing conventional x-ray based manual screening. It also has 30 passport control counters, 10 security gates and 6 customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
counters. There are two premium lounges for first class and business class passengers. There are 8 gates and 5 jetways. The arrival hall has 23 passport control counters and 4 baggage carousels.
On 24 September 2011, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced the decision to build a new international terminal at the Cochin International Airport at a cost of 400 crore. According to the proposal given by CIAL, a state-of-the-art new international terminal will be capable of handling 10 million passengers per annum with a peak hour capacity of 4,000 passengers. The terminal will have 16 parking bays with full aerobridge connectivity. The bays will be constructed in a phased manner and the airport will have a total of 40 parking bays. The terminal is expected to cater to the traffic requirements of the airport for the next 15 years.
Cargo
Cochin Airport has a dedicated cargo center located on the eastern side of the airport complex. The cargo center is one of the largest facilities in the country with a total floor space of 120000 sq ft (11,148.4 m²) in 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land. The cargo terminal handled around 40,000 MT last year, with more than 25% growth. There are three complexes in the cargo village:
- The Center for Dry Cargo (CDC), with an area of 50000 sq ft (4,645.2 m²), has a dedicated warehousing facility and air-customs inspection facility for both import and export.
- The Center for Perishable Cargo (CPC) is the largest dedicated cold storage center for perishable goods in the country, has a floor area of about 22000 sq ft (2,043.9 m²) and can handle approximately 25,000 metric tonnes of cargo. It was commissioned in 2008 at a cost of jointly by CIAL, Government of India through Agricultural and Food Promotion Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Government of Kerala.
- The Transshipment Cargo Complex is a dedicated warehouse allocated for transshipment cargo. The import and export cargo from the customs warehouses in the catchment area, as well as from airports like Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore etc., are handled and stored at this centre for export.
In addition, an exclusive domestic cargo complex has also been constructed for private domestic logistics firms and India Post services.
Air traffic control
The air traffic controlAir traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
(ATC) tower is 45 m (147.6 ft) tall. Cochin ATC controls flights below an altitude of 15000 ft (4,572 m). The airport has an instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS) using distance measuring equipment
Distance Measuring Equipment
Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
(DME). The ATC uses Doppler VHF omni range I and II.
Airport Surveillance Radar
The airport has signed agreement with AAIAirports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
to install an advanced airport surveillance radar
Airport Surveillance Radar
An airport surveillance radar is a radar system used at airports to detect and display the position of aircraft in the terminal area.-Digital Airport Surveillance Radar :...
(ASR) as well as Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR). In addition, the airport coming is installing a Surface Movement Radar for effective monitoring of flights in the runway and parking bays. The new radar system will make it possible to reduce the holding time of the aircraft before landing from the present level of 12 minutes to three minutes. This means that four aircraft can land within 12 minutes whereas it takes about 40 minutes for this currently. The radar will also allow more accurate alignment tracking for landing of the aircraft. The radars will be installed near the runway. The radar at Cochin airport will be networked with the systems at the Chennai
Chennai International Airport
Chennai International Airport , formerly known as Madras International Airport is located in Tirusulam, south of Chennai , India...
, Mangalore
Mangalore International Airport
Mangalore Airport, formerly known as Bajpe Airport, is a domestic and customs airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore, India...
and Thiruvananthapuram airports. The radar is expected to cost about 25 lakh and it will be imported from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Runway
With a length of 3400 m (11,154.9 ft) and width of 45 m (147.6 ft), the runway is equipped to operate any type of aircraft in commercial service. It has a full length parallel taxiway of 3400 m (11,154.9 ft). The runway is spread over the panchayat areas of Nedumbasserry, Sreemoolanagaram and Kanjoor.Cochin Airport has one helipad for dedicated use of helicopters, meant for air-taxi purposes. Plans for constructing a heliport are underway.
Passenger airlines
Cargo airlines
Passenger services
ShoppingIn pursuit of earning more non-aeronautical revenue, CIAL has set up shopping facilities. The Cochin duty-free shop
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
in the international terminal is the first full-scale duty free shop in India, and one of the largest managed by Alpha Kreol, a joint venture between Alpha UK and Kreol Middle East. The arrivals hall has a large duty-free shopping area of 13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²) spread over two floors. The departure block duty-free area is under construction, though a last-minute shopping counter of 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) allows passengers to buy selected products. A book shop and ethnic Indian Khādī
Khadi
The term khādī or khaddar means cotton. khādī is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha. It is a versatile fabric, cool in the summer and warm in the winter...
products promoted by KVIC Kerala, selling traditional Kerala souvenirs and Khadi clothes.
A 20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²) departure terminal duty-free area is under construction, with a 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) food-court, a wellness spa and 2 fine dining restaurants and a sports bar. The departures duty-free is expected to open by first quarter of 2012. It is also planned to setup a handicraft retail shop similar to "Dilli Haat" (दिल्ली हात) in New Delhi.
Food and beverages
The International Departures Terminal have 2 multi-cuisine, fine dining restaurant cum lounge bars. The pre-check in lounge bar is operated by TajSats, located at entrance of Check-in hall, while an open terrace dining cum lounge bar, Firefly, is located on second floor at the departures security hold area. There are also several small cafes and sandwich counters operating in both the domestic and international terminals. A large cafe and a mini food court service the waiting lounge of the domestic terminal. A food court is under construction in the international terminal.
Hospitality
Five airport hotels exist within 200 m from the terminal complex of the airport, including a luxury resort. CIAL is planning to award contracts for a hotel resort and international convention center facility near the airport golf club, for which tenders have been issued.
The airport company has ventured into the tourism and hospitality sector through a wholly owned subsidiary, CIAL Tours and Tourism Limited (CTTL). CTTL provides customized tour packages, holiday services and conducts air-charter services with the collaboration of Bharat Airways, Deccan Aviation and K-Air Charters.
Aviation services
Ground handlingGround-handling is controlled by 3 companies, namely AISATS
Air India Air Transport Services
Air India Air Transport Services Limited is a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India. AIATSL is a subsidiary of Air India and is headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company provides ground handling services at various airports in India...
, Bird Worldwide Flight Services-BWFS
Worldwide Flight Services
Worldwide Flight Services is an aviation company based in Roissy-en-France, France that provides cargo, ground and technical services at airports. The company was founded in 1983.-Network:...
and Livewel Aviation Services.
Fuel supply
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has provided fully fledged state-of-the-art aircraft refueling facilities. A 1400 m long pipeline from the fuel depot to the last aircraft parking bay ensures direct fuel-connectivity. Each aircraft parking bay will have two hydrant pit boxes, pit valves, and emergency isolation valves to international API/IP standards. A modern fully automated tank-farm is also commissioned within the airport area.
A project to lay underground pipelines to transport aviation turbine fuel (ATF) directly from the BPCL Kochi refinery is under construction. These pipelines will stretch about 33 km, from the refinery to the aircraft turbine fuel station. This would mean there will be no need to depend on trucks for transport. The avoidance of fuel tankers on the roads provides a promising step in decongestion of the city roads. The project is estimated to cost and is expected to be operational from April 2011.
BPCL also provides refueling for all airport vehicles, as well as passenger vehicles, through its main petrol station outside the terminal.
Flight kitchen and caterers
Cochin airport has issued operating permits to Casino Air Flight Services (CAFS), Saj Flight Kitchen and TAJ-SATS Flight services to provide in-flight catering services to all airlines operating from Cochin. In addition, Lulu-Oberoi Inflight Catering services and Ambassador Sky-Chef are scheduled to start their services by July 2012.
Maintenance, repair and overhaul
Cochin airport, through its subsidiary Cochin International Aviation Services Limited (CIASL), has commissioned a 135000 sq ft (12,541.9 m²) maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility on 32 acres (129,499.5 m²), at an initial cost of . The first phase includes hangars for two narrow-body aircraft, with facilities for a line maintenance run-up bay, workshops, aircraft parking and a taxiway link. The second phase proposes an additional two narrow-body hangars and two wide-body hangars, more parking bays and workshops. CIASL is in partnership talks with an American aircraft maintenance company to construct and operate the MRO facility. Air India has expressed its interest in partnering with CIASL for additional MRO facilities for its aircraft. With this project, CIASL proposes to attract large-scale investments from leading OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and hopes to reach out to cargo operators and business jets, especially from the growing markets of India, West Asia and South-East Asia.
Security
Cochin International Airport is listed amongst the 12 major airports of India and the safety and security of the airport is handled by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security through the Central Industrial Security Force#Airport security (CISF). Cochin airport was the third international airport, and the first private airport, in the country to come under the cover of CISF in 2001, after the Central GovernmentGovernment of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
decided to hand over airport security to CISF in the wake of the hijacking of Indian Airlines IC-814
Indian Airlines Flight 814
Indian Airlines Flight 814 commonly known as IC 814 was an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 en route from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India on Friday, December 24, 1999, when it was hijacked...
. Security was handled by the Special Branch
Kerala Police
The Kerala State Police is the law enforcement agency for the state of Kerala, India. Kerala Police has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The Police training college was set up by Travancore Maharaja in Thiruvananthapuram in mid 20th centuary. In 2004,a larger Kerala...
of Kochi Police
Kochi City Police
Kochi City Police is the police force of the Indian city of Kochi. The force is headed by a Police Commissioner, an IPS officer. The city police was reorganized as Metro Police force, on April 1, 1966, after forming City Corporation of Cochin. Kochi City Police is one of the most advanced police...
prior to the CISF. The airport company's Aviation Safety Wing (ASW) oversees security facilities and equipment. The ASW is also responsible for the fire and emergency services.
CIAL is the only airport in the country with internally trained private security agents, specializing in intelligence gathering and passenger profiling. Security management training is provided by CIAL's Aviation Academy and personnel are employed by the company as security agents; deployed in baggage screening rooms, entry gates, the general cargo area, and the lounge areas. CIAL ASW also employs Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
-trained sniffer dogs to check for explosives in baggage areas, the only Indian airport to have such a facility. CIAL has also introduced 3 state-of-the-art ION scanning detectors that can identify small amounts of material, down to nanograms of explosives. The external security in parking areas, visitors lounges, cafes and other non-sensitive areas outside the terminal are handled by a private security company.
The airport is under the direct protection of the Kochi City Police
Kochi City Police
Kochi City Police is the police force of the Indian city of Kochi. The force is headed by a Police Commissioner, an IPS officer. The city police was reorganized as Metro Police force, on April 1, 1966, after forming City Corporation of Cochin. Kochi City Police is one of the most advanced police...
, who have a police station outside the terminal. CISF maintains 2 armed squadrons and one Bomb Detection & Disposal Squad. CISF also has a command center located 250 metres outside the terminal, with an intelligence division and mobilization cell. The Air Customs division also operates a narcotics detection squad in the terminal. The CIAL ASWs are working on installing a fully automated perimeter intrusion detection system that will detect any possible case of intrusion on the perimeter of the airport, using sensors that will provide critical time for the security forces to react. Phase one of the intrusion prevention system is in place with barricades, automatic retractable bollards, surveillance cameras, parking gate management systems and the introduction of biometric ID cards for staff. The immigration department is handled by Special Branch
Kerala Police
The Kerala State Police is the law enforcement agency for the state of Kerala, India. Kerala Police has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The Police training college was set up by Travancore Maharaja in Thiruvananthapuram in mid 20th centuary. In 2004,a larger Kerala...
officials trained by the Bureau of Immigration.
Education and training
Since 2008 CIASL has been the first airport to venture into providing higher education in aviation management and technical areas, to overcome the shortage of skilled manpower in the aviation industry. CIASL has teamed up with the Indira Gandhi National Open UniversityIndira Gandhi National Open University
The Indira Gandhi National Open University , known as IGNOU is a national university with its headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi, India. Named after former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of 2000 crore, when the Parliament of India passed...
(IGNOU) to start two schools in aviation education:
- CIAL Aviation Academy provides 2 year managementMaster of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degrees in aviation and airport management, operations, economics, finance and human resources, along with short-term aviation oriented vocational diplomas. The academy also trains technical manpower required for airport operations. Air India Express currently have its temporary Stewards Grooming and training center in the facility.
Ground transportation
The airport is located between National Highway 47 (NH 47), one of the main highways of South India, and the Main Central RoadMain Central Road
The Main Central Road is the arterial State Highway in the Travancore region of Kerala state, India. It is designated as SH 1 by the Kerala Public Works Department.The highway was built by Raja Kesavadas, Dewan of Travancore...
(MC Road), one of the State Highways of Kerala. An expressway is planned from NH 49 to the MC Road to facilitate faster transport. The main railway line is approximately 500 meters from the airport. An airport railway station, approved by Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
, will be situated 300 meters away from the terminal. As of now, the nearest railway stations are Angamaly
Angamaly Railway Station
Angamaly for Kalady is a railway station in Greater Cochin in India operated by Southern Railway Network. It lies in the Shoranur-Cochin Harbour section of Trivandrum division. Angamaly is the halting point of many trains passing through this station except some superfast trains...
and Aluva
Aluva Railway Station
Aluva is one of the important railway station in Greater Cochin situated in Ernakulam district and also the second busiest station in the Indian state of Kerala in terms of number of trains after Thrissur Railway Station...
.
Air-taxi services
Cochin airport has dedicated air-taxi services for passengers to travel to major pilgrim destinations in Kerala as well as to cities like ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
and Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
. The airport, in association with Bharat Airways, provides scheduled air-taxi services to Sabarimala
Sabarimala
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage center located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. It is the largest annual pilgrimage in India with an estimated 45–50 million devotees visiting every year. Sabarimala is believed to be the place where the Hindu God Ayyappan...
.
Buses
Buses are the primary means to connect the airport with major parts of the city. Services are mainly operated by the Kerala State Road Transport CorporationKerala State Road Transport Corporation
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is the state-run bus company in Kerala, India. It is one of the oldest state run public bus transport services in India.-History:...
which operates two class of bus services. The nearest bus-stations are Angamaly
Angamaly
Angamaly is a satellite town of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is one of the entry points or gateways to Ernakulam district from northern Kerala...
Bus Depot and Aluva Rajiv Gandhi Municipal Bus Station from where local, long distance and inter-state buses operate.
The following is a list of bus services to and from the airport:
| Service | Destination | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| KSRTC Orange Bus | |||
| 601, 603 | Fort Kochi Fort Kochi Fort Kochi is a region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. This is part of a handful of water-bound regions toward the south-west of the mainland Kochi, and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Adjacent to this is Mattancherry... via City Center Vyttila Vyttila is an intersection as well as the name of a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the largest as well as the busiest intersection in Kerala. This node intersects the main north-south artery of the state of Kerala, namely, the National Highway 47, with three city... |
45 Minutes interval | |
| 602, 604 | Aluva Interchange Aluva Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state.... |
||
| Fast Passenger- Non AC | |||
| North Line | Angamaly Bus Depot Interchange Angamaly Angamaly is a satellite town of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is one of the entry points or gateways to Ernakulam district from northern Kerala... |
5 Minutes interval | |
| South Line | Cherthala Cherthala Cherthala is a town located in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located 30 km south of the city of Kochi and 22 km north of Alappuzha town, on the Kochi-Alappuzha streatch of both the National Highway 47 as well as the costal Rail-route.lt is 85 km from the... via Aluva Aluva Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state.... , Vyttila Vyttila Vyttila is an intersection as well as the name of a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the largest as well as the busiest intersection in Kerala. This node intersects the main north-south artery of the state of Kerala, namely, the National Highway 47, with three city... |
20 Minutes interval | |
| East Line | Vaikom Vaikom Vaikom is a taluk and also its capital town, situated in the North-West of Kottayam in Kerala, India. Its western border is the Lake Vembanad, and is crossed by various estuaries of the River Muvattupuzha. It lies between Ernakulam and Kottayam... via Vyttila Vyttila Vyttila is an intersection as well as the name of a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the largest as well as the busiest intersection in Kerala. This node intersects the main north-south artery of the state of Kerala, namely, the National Highway 47, with three city... , Thrippunithura Thrippunithura Thrippunithura or Tripunithura is a suburb of the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India and an integral part of the Kochi metropolitan area. In local administration it is a municipality... |
45 minutes interval | |
Taxis
Cochin airport manages a fleet of its own cabs, operating as the Cochin Airport Taxi Society (CATS), providing prepaid and regular cab facilities. CATS taxis can be booked at prepaid counters in the arrivals sections of both the international and domestic terminals.CIAL Aerotropolis
One of the future projects for the airport is the CIAL AerotropolisAerotropolis
An aerotropolis is an urban form whose layout, infrastructure, and economy is centered on an airport, offering its businesses speedy connectivity to suppliers, customers, and enterprise partners worldwide. Many of these businesses are much more dependent on distant suppliers or customers than to...
, or Airport City, with a total area of 500 acres (2 km²). The aerotropolis was proposed by its founder, V J Kurien, to ensure additional revenue sources for the growth of the company and to increase airport traffic through tourism and allied activities. The proposed Aerotropolis will be located in Nedumbassery and nearby villages, aiming to convert into a self-sustainable town, with the airport forming the core element along with a residential zone. Work on the aerotropolis commenced in 2007.
Manufacturing and business zone
The master plan envisages the creation of a Special Economic ZoneSpecial Economic Zone
A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...
(SEZ) for aircraft-allied industries, especially spare parts and OEM manufacturing units, an airline research and development center, workshops, and service zones. In addition to this an Information Technology Park, with dedicated airline support technology, design and development centers is also proposed. An integrated logistics center and central container freight station are planned at the cargo village.
CIAL's proposal for establishing the SEZ was approved by the Board of Approval of SEZs in 2008; however, work is yet to start due to the global recession. The project is estimated to begin by August 2011.
Airside development
Phase one of the airside zone has completed with commissioning of the MRO facilities.Incidents and accidents
- On 25 April 2010, Emirates Flight EK 530, a Boeing 777–200 from Dubai, dropped around 200 feet (61 m) during heavy turbulence as the aircraft entered a thick cumulonimbus cloud while on its descent. 20 passengers were injured and some internal damage was caused to the plane. The aircraft was on descent into Kochi, roughly between Mumbai and Chennai air spaces when the incident occurred. There were 350 passengers and 14 crew on board.
- On 25 August 2011, a 13 year old boy was found roaming around the Runway area, raising questions about the security system of the airport.
- On 29 August 2011, Gulf AirGulf AirGulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
Flight GF 270, an Airbus 320Airbus A320 familyThe Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
from Bahrain, carrying 137 passengers skidded off the runway at 3.55 am during its descent. The reason for the crash is suspected to be the heavy rain at the time of the incident. The aircraft has been said to slipped off the runway and landed nose first. The aircraft broke one of its wings while landing and stalled air traffic for hours. Passengers after the crash, in chaos were reported to have jumped from the aircraft through emergency exit doors even before stairways were brought into place. The crash caused seven minor injuries and two serious injuries due to the chaos that followed.
External links
- Cochin International Airport at Airports Authority of IndiaAirports Authority of IndiaThe Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
web site - Cochin Airport Official Website