Calicut Airport

Calicut Airport is one of the three international airports located in Kerala. Calicut Airport was given the status of international airport on February 2, 2006, thereby paving the way for the improvement of the infrastructure there for handling international flights. Calicut International Airport is located at Karippur in Malappuram district, near Calicut (Kozhikode), Kerala, India. The airport, was sanctioned after a long period of struggle which began in 1977 under the leadership of freedom fighter late K.P. Kesava Menon. Funds were collected from Gulf Malayalis for its development in the 1990s when the Union Government said it did not have funds.

To raise the funds needed for airport development, the Malabar International Airport Development Society was constituted. Later major developments of facilities, such as extension of runway from 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet to facilitate operation of big-bodied aircraft were carried out with loans from HUDCO. The approach to Calicut airport runway is surrounded with hills and valleys. Airports Authority of India have provided runway lead-in lighting system for the first time in India at Calicut airport as per the recommendations of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The system has been put into service for night operations since October 2003.

Supplementing the above lead-in lighting system, solar-powered aviation obstruction lights are also provided at eight critical hilltops around the Calicut Airfield. Airlines currently operating from Calicut Airport are Air India, Air Deccan Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, and Sri Lankan Airlines.

Airport Data: International, Calicut 30km (18miles), Operating hours 00:30-14:30 UTC extendable for scheduled flights, 2 Passenger Terminals, 1 Cargo Terminal, 6 Aircraft Stands.

Airportfield Data: Fire Category VIII

Runway: 9,383 ft / 2,860 m

Airline Service: Air Deccan, Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways (India), Srilankan Cargo

Cargo Facilities: Capacity 10,000 tonnes (22,046,000lbs), Warehouse 40,000m² (430,556sq ft), Bonded Warehouse, Mechanical Handling, X-Ray Equipment, Security for Valuables, Handling Equipment.