Cochin International Airport to re-carpet runway from November to May
18 Mar 2008
Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) has announced that it will undertake a re-carpeting project of its runway in order to ensure its continued and satisfactory performance.
CIAL, which has been operational since June 1999, has a 3400 metre long bituminous runway, and is capable of handling jumbo aircraft as well.
Because of the magnitude of the stress on the runway surface, which is always very high when an aircraft lands, a bituminous surface needs to be re-carpeted after 7-8 years of operation.
The runway of Cochin International Airport, which has been performing satisfactorily so far, will complete nine years of operations in June 2008.
The only available time for re-carpeting work is between November and May, as it cannot be carried out during monsoons. The airport authorities now propose to shut down all aircraft operations on the runway between 10 am - 8.00 pm local time, every day, during the months of November-May 2008.
The re-carpeting work will start from one end of the runway and progress to the other in a continuous and phased manner.
CIAL has already given advance intimation to all operating airlines and other concerned agencies and has asked them to reschedule their flights.
CIAL said that it does not anticipate any reduction in flight/passenger movements, or revenue, of the airport because of the re-carpeting work.
