Dubai-based Emirates, which has been playing hide-and-seek with the resumption of the operation of wide-bodied aircraft from the Calicut International Airport, has sounded positive signals on commencing its flights shortly.
This follows a meeting between a delegation led by M.K. Raghavan, MP, and Ahmed Hashim Khoory, Emirates senior vice president, commercial operations (West Asia and Indian Ocean) in Dubai. Emirates had been showing reluctance to recommence its operations despite the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the airline company in July last.
In their 45-minute discussion, Mr. Raghavan said Mr. Khoory had agreed to hold talks with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to speed up the process of restarting flights from the Calicut airport.
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He also shared with him the hardships faced by air passengers from north Kerala as most emigrants in UAE depended on the Calicut airport.
Mr. Raghavan pointed out that Kozhikode was the hub of economic activity in Malabar. And the resumption of flights will not only help in improving bilateral relationship but also boost trade and commerce between the two nations.
Besides, he said foreign tourists would benefit with the commencement of Emirates flights. A majority of them visit Kozhikode and the neighbouring district of Malappuram for treatment purposes, apart from touring the city.
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Emirates has secured approval to operate Boeing 777- 200 Extended Range, Boeing 777- 200 Long Range, and Boeing 777- 300 Extended Range aircraft from the airport.
The operation of wide-bodied aircraft was banned at the airport from May 2015 in the wake of a Court of Inquiry report on the Air India Express Boeing 737 crash in Mangaluru in May 2010.