Nedumbassery: Cochin International Airport is bracing up for partial shutdown for four-month-long revamp. Domestic passengers arriving here will now be allowed to check in three hours before the flight departure.
The move for early check-in is aimed at reducing the rush of passengers since the runway work at the airport is set to start soon. International passengers can already check in three hours prior to their flight at the airport.
The renovation work will be carried out from 10am to 6pm from November 20 to March 28. There won't be any flights during this time. About 50 lakh square feet of area will be recarpeted during the renovation work.
Currently, 31 domestic services and seven international flights start journey from Kochi during this time. These many flights also land in Kochi during the daytime. However, the runway would function as usual from 6pm till the next day morning. The airline companies have been asked to change the flight timings accordingly
Maintenance works and recarpeting would be held in the day hours and by evening the runway would be made available again. The carpeting work involves re-surfacing and strengthening of the runway.
The taxiway will also undergo renovation. It will get three new layers of bitumen; each layer will be 7cm thick. Only 150 to 200 sq m of area would be renovated a day.
(It is through taxiway aircraft move between runways and parking areas.)
The runway would be ready for landing by 6pm every day. The renovated area would be covered with a ramp, which would be removed the next day for work to continue.
The airport will deploy more staff at the car parking area and more conveyor belts to facilitate faster check-in. It has also requested the CISF to deploy more staff or security services.
Runway carpeting has to be carried out every 10 years.
