Puducherry Airport

Puducherry Airport
புதுச்சேரி விமான நிலையம்
Putuccēri Vimāṉa Nilaiyam

New terminal
IATA: PNY – ICAO: VOPC
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner AAI
Operator Airports Authority of India
Serves Pondicherry
Location Lawspet
Elevation AMSL 134 ft / 41 m
Coordinates 11°57′57″N 079°48′46″E / 11.96583°N 79.81278°E / 11.96583; 79.81278
Map
PNY

Location in India

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
07/25 4,500 1,500 Asphalt

Puducherry Airport (IATA: PNY, ICAO: VOPC) is an airport located at Lawspet in Pondicherry (officially Puducherry), a Union territory of India. The airport has charter flights and operations of the local flying training school. In 2007, the Pondicherry Government decided to expand the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and commissioned a new terminal building.[1] The new terminal was inaugurated on 17 January 2013 with the arrival of a SpiceJet flight from Bangalore.[2]

History

The airport was constructed in 1989. Between that year and 1991, regional airline Vayudoot flew to Chennai, Neyveli and Bangalore, however the flights were not successful and all were ended. The airport remained in disuse for the following two decades.[3]

In June 2007, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the local government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for expansion of the airport. For the first phase, 19.92 hectares of land were acquired at ₹ 18.95 crore. Then the new terminal was constructed and the runway extended by 260 m (853 ft), allowing for the landing of ATR aircraft. This phase was completed in late 2012. The second phase of expansion involves acquiring 200 more acres of land to extend the runway by an additional 1,100 m (3,609 ft), allowing larger jet aircraft to land at the airport.[4]

On 17 January 2013, SpiceJet began the first flights to the modernised airport from Bangalore. However, only one year later the service was cancelled due to poor passenger loads.[3][5]

On 14 April 2015, Alliance Air brought the airport back into operation with flights again from Bangalore, subsidised by the Pondicherry Government. Flights were suspended six months later due to "payment issues", and it is unknown when service will resume.[6]

Facilities

Pondicherry Airport has one asphalt runway, oriented 07/25, 1500 m long and 30 m wide. It has a 100 by 150 m apron and its new terminal building can handle 300 passengers during peak hours. Navigational aids at Pondicherry include an Aerodrome beacon.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Flight operations await new terminal". IBN Live. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "First flight to Pondicherry from Bangalore on January 17". Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 SpiceJet announces Pondy flight schedule. The New Indian Express. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Puducherry airport to go on stream in October". The Economic Times. 3 Sep 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  5. ↑ Jaisankar, C. (31 January 2014). With last flight, Puducherry airport runs out of steam. The Hindu. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Puducherry's flight services suspended temporarily".
  7. ↑ "Airport website". Retrieved 3 January 2012.

Coordinates: 11°34′33″N 79°29′05″E / 11.5757°N 79.4846°E / 11.5757; 79.4846

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