With the operationalisation of the ₹69.2-crore parallel taxi track (PTT) at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport on Friday, its runway capacity has gone up from 20 flights an hour to 25 flights.
As the runway occupancy time will be reduced, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) that manages the airport will be able to give permission to the domestic and foreign airlines that seek to operate more flights.
Process hitherto
The facility to handle more flights will come handy for airlines, especially foreign carriers, early in the day when the majority of flights from the Middle East arrive at and depart from the city.
Hitherto, an aircraft which landed on the Vallakadavu side moved to the other end of runway at All Saints’ College to turn around to enter the path connecting the runway and the parking bay.
On an average, the time occupied by an aircraft at runway was 10 to 15 minutes. During this process, an approaching aircraft had to go around or continue circling till the runway is cleared. The aircraft had to burn considerable amounts of fuel.
The 1,853 m-long taxi track, constructed parallel to the 3,373-m runway, will reduce the time occupied by an aircraft after landing and facilitate an early exit for the flyers from the aircraft, according to Airport Director George G. Tharakan.
The PTT was commissioned by AAI Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra.
A Boeing 737-8000 aircraft of Air India Express from Muscat that landed after the operationalisation of the PTT was given a ‘water salute’ by the fire tenders of the AAI.
