Mangalore International Airport
Encyclopedia
Mangalore Airport, formerly known as Bajpe Airport, is a domestic and customs airport
serving the coastal city of Mangalore
, India
. The airport was opened on 25 December 1951 as the Bajpe Aerodrome when Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru
arrived on the maiden flight on a DC-3 Dakota
aircraft. In 2007-08 the airport handled 10,019 aircraft movements as compared to 6,268 the previous year, and in 2010 it handled 8.04 lakh passengers.
The airport is located near Bajpe
, around 20 km (12.4 mi) north-east of the city centre. Several daily flights connect Bajpe with most major cities in southern and western India as well as many major cities in the Middle East. Until 2005, its small 1600 m (5,249.3 ft) runway
meant that it could only handle Boeing 737
-400 sized aircraft the longer runway now handles slightly larger aircraft.
The operation of international flights started in 2006 with Air India Express flying to Dubai.
. Only two other airports in India have table top runways - Kozhikode
and Lengpui
. The edges of the hill dropping into the valley from a height of about 90 m (295.3 ft) to 9 m (29.5 ft)) within a short distance of just 500 m (1,640.4 ft) on the east side of the runway and from about 83 m (272.3 ft) to 25 m (82 ft) on the western side. An additional disadvantage was that the runway was not level, with the height varying from 90 m (295.3 ft) to 83 m (272.3 ft) from east to west. Landing on this short runway at this airport was considered difficult.
On 10 January 2006 an Airbus A319 of Kingfisher Airlines
was the first aircraft in that class to land on this runway. The number of passengers using Mangalore Airport has gone up by 100% last year (from 260,000 to almost 500,000).
. The airport has acquired land to build a taxiway parallel to the new runway to reduce aircraft on ground time.
Union minister of state for civil aviation Praful Patel had announced on 15 May 2010 that a work order for extending the runway to 9000 foot would be issued soon, subsequently after the air crash of Air India Flight 812 the minister reaffirmed on 30 May 2010 that the runway extension will take place and will take into account the spillover area required during an emergency.
On 11 July 2011 at the meeting of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, it was informed that the Karnataka Government will be issuing preliminary notification for the acquisition of land for the extension of runway at the Mangalore airport. The process of land survey for runway expansion has been started, and the preliminary notification for acquisition would be issued in a week. Around 156 acres will be required for runway expansion, and an amount of Rs 15 crores has been set aside in the State Budget for Mangalore airport work.
was constructed at a cost of and connected to the second runway. The new terminal building built over 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of land and constructed at a cost of , with work completing in December 2009. It is centrally air-conditioned, and covers an area of 18,220 square metres. It is equipped with two aerobridges with provision for adding more in the future. It is designed to separately handle domestic and international passengers. The apron can accommodate four A310
class and an A321 class aircraft at a time, with provision for three more aircraft to be added at a future stage. Including the old airport, the total capacity of the airport is nine aircraft and two helicopters.
The road to the new terminal reduces the distance between Mangalore and the airport by about 8 km (5 mi). The airport had the trial run of the terminal for domestic flights on 16 December 2009. On 15 May 2010, the terminal building was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister
, Mr Praful Patel
, along with Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. B. S. Yeddyurappa. It was to be opened to air traffic on 1 July 2010, but it became operational on 2 August 2010 due to the delays caused by the Air India Express Flight 812
accident.
Since 1 September 2010, the airport is charging a User Development Fee (UDF) of per passenger for domestic flights and for international flights. This proposal has been approved by the Civil Aviation Ministry
.
As of 15 May 2010, 26 domestic flights and 52 international flights are operated every week.
On 3 October 2006, Air India Express flight 802 from Dubai
became the first international flight to land at Mangalore. On 15 February 2007, Air India Express added connections to Abu Dhabi and Muscat
, with Doha
and Bahrain
added as a new destination on 25 March. On 17 July 2008, Kuwait
and Sharjah too were added by the airline. It later terminated the Sharjah route.
Customs airport
A customs airport is an airport notified by the appropriate customs authority of the country as an airport which shall be airports for the unloading of imported goods and the loading of export goods or any class of such goods...
serving the coastal city of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The airport was opened on 25 December 1951 as the Bajpe Aerodrome when Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
arrived on the maiden flight on a DC-3 Dakota
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
aircraft. In 2007-08 the airport handled 10,019 aircraft movements as compared to 6,268 the previous year, and in 2010 it handled 8.04 lakh passengers.
The airport is located near Bajpe
Bajpe
Bajpe is a census town in located close to Mangalore city in Dakshina Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is around 18 km from the heart of the city of Mangalore. The Mangalore International Airport is located at Bajpe and is popularly known as the Bajpe...
, around 20 km (12.4 mi) north-east of the city centre. Several daily flights connect Bajpe with most major cities in southern and western India as well as many major cities in the Middle East. Until 2005, its small 1600 m (5,249.3 ft) runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
meant that it could only handle Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
-400 sized aircraft the longer runway now handles slightly larger aircraft.
The operation of international flights started in 2006 with Air India Express flying to Dubai.
Overview
The airport is located on top of a hill, with the runway landing approaches leading up to the extreme edges of the hill sides and thus called a table top runwayTabletop runway
A tabletop runway is a runway that is located on the top of a plateau with either end stopping abruptly and dropping into deep gorges. These type of runways create an optical illusion that requires a very precise approach from the pilot....
. Only two other airports in India have table top runways - Kozhikode
Calicut International Airport
Calicut International Airport , also known as Karipur Airport, is an International Airport serving the city of Kozhikode , Kerala, India. The airport is located in Karipur, Malappuram district about from the Kozhikode Railway Station and from the city of Malappuram, with the closest railway...
and Lengpui
Lengpui Airport
Lengpui Airport is an airport in Aizawl, Mizoram, India.The airport is connected by daily flights with Kolkata and Guwahati and three flights a week with Imphal and is located at a distance of 32 km from Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram...
. The edges of the hill dropping into the valley from a height of about 90 m (295.3 ft) to 9 m (29.5 ft)) within a short distance of just 500 m (1,640.4 ft) on the east side of the runway and from about 83 m (272.3 ft) to 25 m (82 ft) on the western side. An additional disadvantage was that the runway was not level, with the height varying from 90 m (295.3 ft) to 83 m (272.3 ft) from east to west. Landing on this short runway at this airport was considered difficult.
On 10 January 2006 an Airbus A319 of Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines is an airline group based in India. Its head office is Kingfisher House in Vile Parle , Mumbai. Kingfisher Airlines, through its parent company United Breweries Group, has a 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red....
was the first aircraft in that class to land on this runway. The number of passengers using Mangalore Airport has gone up by 100% last year (from 260,000 to almost 500,000).
Second runway
A second runway of length 2450 m (8,038.1 ft) was opened on 10 May 2006. A Jet Airways flight from Bangalore with 95 passengers on board became the first to land on this runway. With this, Mangalore Airport has become the first airport in Karnataka to have two runways, and also the first to have a runway which is made of concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. The airport has acquired land to build a taxiway parallel to the new runway to reduce aircraft on ground time.
Union minister of state for civil aviation Praful Patel had announced on 15 May 2010 that a work order for extending the runway to 9000 foot would be issued soon, subsequently after the air crash of Air India Flight 812 the minister reaffirmed on 30 May 2010 that the runway extension will take place and will take into account the spillover area required during an emergency.
On 11 July 2011 at the meeting of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, it was informed that the Karnataka Government will be issuing preliminary notification for the acquisition of land for the extension of runway at the Mangalore airport. The process of land survey for runway expansion has been started, and the preliminary notification for acquisition would be issued in a week. Around 156 acres will be required for runway expansion, and an amount of Rs 15 crores has been set aside in the State Budget for Mangalore airport work.
New terminal building
The new airport project was taken up to be developed in an area of about 583 acres (2.4 km²) of land. In the first phase a 43000 m² (462,848.1 sq ft) apronAirport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
was constructed at a cost of and connected to the second runway. The new terminal building built over 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of land and constructed at a cost of , with work completing in December 2009. It is centrally air-conditioned, and covers an area of 18,220 square metres. It is equipped with two aerobridges with provision for adding more in the future. It is designed to separately handle domestic and international passengers. The apron can accommodate four A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
class and an A321 class aircraft at a time, with provision for three more aircraft to be added at a future stage. Including the old airport, the total capacity of the airport is nine aircraft and two helicopters.
The road to the new terminal reduces the distance between Mangalore and the airport by about 8 km (5 mi). The airport had the trial run of the terminal for domestic flights on 16 December 2009. On 15 May 2010, the terminal building was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister
Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, India is responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in India.-References:**...
, Mr Praful Patel
Praful Patel
Praful Manoharbhai Patel is a Member of Parliament of the Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Bhandara-Gondia parliamentary constituency and is a member of the Nationalist Congress Party...
, along with Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. B. S. Yeddyurappa. It was to be opened to air traffic on 1 July 2010, but it became operational on 2 August 2010 due to the delays caused by the Air India Express Flight 812
Air India Express Flight 812
Air India Express Flight 812 was a scheduled passenger service from Dubai to Mangalore which at around 01:00 UTC on 22 May 2010, overshot the runway on landing, fell over a cliff and caught fire, spreading wreckage across the surrounding hillside...
accident.
Since 1 September 2010, the airport is charging a User Development Fee (UDF) of per passenger for domestic flights and for international flights. This proposal has been approved by the Civil Aviation Ministry
Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, India is responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in India.-References:**...
.
As of 15 May 2010, 26 domestic flights and 52 international flights are operated every week.
International flights
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai...
became the first international flight to land at Mangalore. On 15 February 2007, Air India Express added connections to Abu Dhabi and Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, with Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
added as a new destination on 25 March. On 17 July 2008, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Sharjah too were added by the airline. It later terminated the Sharjah route.
Air cargo facility
There is a proposal to convert the old terminal building into a cargo terminal. It was stated by the Minister for Aviation that this requires the extension of the runway to handle larger aircraft.Airlines and destinations
Accidents and incidents
- On 19 August 1981, Indian Airlines Flight 557Indian Airlines Flight 557Indian Airlines Flight 557 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Bangalore to Mangalore which overran the runway at Mangalore Bajpe Airport.-Accident:...
, a HAL 748 VT-DXF overshot the 5783 feet (1,762.7 m) runway at Mangalore-Bajpe Airport in wet weather. The aircraft came to a halt just beyond the runway edge. While there were no fatalities, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and was written off. One of the passengers on board was Veerappa MoilyVeerappa MoilyMoodbidri Veerappa Moily is the current Minister of Corporate Affairs in the Indian government. Moily was elected as MP of the Chickballapur district by a wide margin in 2009. He currently serves as the All India Congress Committee General Secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh...
, then Finance Minister of Karnataka, Veerappa MoilyVeerappa MoilyMoodbidri Veerappa Moily is the current Minister of Corporate Affairs in the Indian government. Moily was elected as MP of the Chickballapur district by a wide margin in 2009. He currently serves as the All India Congress Committee General Secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh...
who then went on to become Chief Minister of Karnataka and currently Cabinet Minister for Law, Justice and Company Affairs in the Government of India.
- On 22 May 2010, Air India Express Flight 812Air India Express Flight 812Air India Express Flight 812 was a scheduled passenger service from Dubai to Mangalore which at around 01:00 UTC on 22 May 2010, overshot the runway on landing, fell over a cliff and caught fire, spreading wreckage across the surrounding hillside...
, a Boeing 737-800 VT-AXV, flying on the Dubai-Mangalore route, overshot the 8033 feet (2,448.5 m) runway number 06/24, killing 158 people including 6 crew on-board; only 8 survived. The aircraft landed and subsequently crashed when it overshot the runway and veered into a steep gorge at the very end. The starboard wing impacted the concrete socket of the Instrument Landing SystemInstrument Landing SystemAn instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
localiser antenna, breaking it and rendering it unusable, this resulted in delayed or canceled flights during two weeks when the monsoon rains reduced visibility. It took the airport a little under a month to repair and calibrate the ILS and bring it back online.