Very grateful that Navy allowed operation of commercial flights, passengers say

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Commercial flight operations from Kochi Naval airport started on Monday with the first Air India flight arriving this morning from Bengaluru.

Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport as the Kochi International Airport has shut operations till August 26 after heavy rains and devastating floods wreacked havoc the southern paradise.

Earlier this week Cochin Intwrnational Airport had suspended operations due heavy flooding in and around the airport.


The first AI flight from Bengaluru arrived this morning and returned by 0830 hrs.







People have started returning home from relief centres with flood waters receding.Many were shocked to see the state of their homes covered with mud and slush as the water receded.

For Col Poulse MO, landing in the Naval Airbase, INS Garuda was once again a bitter-sweet experience. Though he was a bit nostalgic about flying into the airport that hasn't had commercial operations for nearly two decades, Poulse and family are also worried about the state of their home.

"My house is at Malayatoor and I have been told that water has entered up the first floor. My wife and I really worried about what we might find there," said Poluse, who flew from Delhi to Bengaluru to the flight that was recently scheduled at the Naval Airbase.

Earlier this week, Cochin International Airport, which handles nearly 30,000 passengers daily had to suspend operations till August 26 due to the floods and heavy rain.

Air India announced that it would be scheduling three flights from the airbase on Saturday. You people immediately jumped on the opportunity to fly into the city said an Air India official, who suggested the tickets for the three flights had sold out quite quickly.

Lisse Jacob and her husband, who is based in Kuwait immediately jumped at the opportunity to come to Kochi. It's been nearly two days since they have spoken to their children and their home in Parvur has been flooded.

Another passenger who took the flight from Chennai to Bengaluru to come to Kochi, Anitha Kaimal said that she came here to pay respects to her relative who had passed away her on Kochi.

"Her last rights had already been delayed by two days because of the floods and this flight was the only way I could get here," she said.

Navy officials informed that the civilian enclave of the Navy airbase, which closed in June 2000 since Cial started operations, was reopened to ensure connectivity to the city was not disrupted.

Many people from other states that had been stranded in Kochi also seized the opportunity to fly out in the first flight they got.

Sunil Hoonur, who had come to Kochi on business trip from Pune before the floods reached the city was stuck here after Cial suspended operations.

"My family was worried sick when I had extended my stay here. I am very grateful that Navy allowed operation of commercial flights," he said.

There were three Air India flights scheduled from the airbase on August 20. Navy officials said that Indigo and Jet Airways have also approached the Navy about scheduling flights from INS Garuda. He said that Indigo will test their flights here later on Monday.