Night landings to be allowed at Goa airport

Following confusion at Goa airport last week due to diversion and cancellation of several flights, the Navy has agreed to extend night landing facilities to civilian aircraft from January 8. "The Navy has been imposing restrictions on flight movements after 6 pm which resulted in diversion and cancellations of a few flights last week. Last Tuesday, Sahara Airlines flight had to be diverted because the airport was closed for landing at 8 pm while the flight arrived at 8.20," Airport Manager Paul Manickam said. "Landings are allowed at the most till 8 pm on special request but due to fog in Delhi, many flights departed late from Delhi airport itself. Few flights were even cancelled," he said. Post Goa's liberation, Goa airport, situated next to Hansa naval base, is being managed by the Navy. "Navy has now given permission to keep the airport open for night landing from January 8 onwards," Manickam said. "The runway is being recarpetted. They will reserve some portion for civilian aircraft which will enable the landing and take-off even at night," he said.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials have pointed out that Goa airport lacked facilities and needed urgent expansion. "In the last one year, there is 50 per cent increase in passenger load and 33 per cent increase in flight traffic," he said. The airport building, with a capacity for 350-passengers, has 33 scheduled flights besides chartered flights for tourists amounting to 3,000 passengers every day. Heavy rush is witnessed during week-ends when the number of chartered flights rise to 13. "The expansion plans are on the anvil as we are waiting for land from the Navy. The talks are on for 8.77 acres land which would be used for facilities like three apron and constructing seven aerobridges," Manickam said. "The first phase of expansion is ready to take-off but without land in our hand, we do not know what size of land would be available," he said. "We will get a major relief only after the expansion," he added.

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