KANNUR: After years of waiting, the first passenger aircraft landed at the Kannur International airport (KIAL) on Thursday.
Air India Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft appeared in the sky in front of the terminal station at 10.34 am and flew in various directions for six times till 11.29 am before descending on the runway. The passenger aircraft has the capacity to carry 200 passengers.
According to KIAL Chief Project Engineer, K.S. Shibu Kumar, it hovered in the sky for an hour in various directions and heights before landing at 11.30 and dock-in at Aerobridge 12 L. After landing for a few minutes, the flight took off. According to sources, the Air India Express would give a report of the landing of the big aircraft to Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA and airport authorities soon. After receiving that report, the airport would be given a final commercial licence.
Scores of people reached the airport premises to watch the landing of the aircraft and they cheered when the flight appeared. The KIAL meet scheduled to be held on September 29 in Thiruvananthapuram will announce the inauguration of the airport. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will chair the meet.
