DGCA Bans Wide-Body Aircraft at Kozhikode Airport During Monsoon

Hardeep Puri had said that ban on wide-body aircraft at the airport was lifted after issues were addressed in 2019.

Site of Kozhikode plane crash.

(Photo Courtesy: Twiter / @breakingavnews)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday, 11 August, banned the use of wide-body aircraft at Kozhikode Airport during the monsoon season, ANI reported.

The move comes after the recent crash landing of the Air India flight on 7 August that claimed 18 lives, including the two pilots.

Amid claims of neglecting red flags regarding the airport, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday had stated that the issues raised by the DGCA were duly addressed by the airport operator.

Besides, he pointed out that DGCA strictly ensures that these issues are rectified under all circumstances.

Puri also urged to wait for the outcome of the statutory enquiry and then visit the issue with facts.

“I would like to remind my colleagues that the aircraft involved in the incident at Kozhikode was a B-737-800 which is NOT a wide-body aircraft. As far as wide-body aircraft are concerned, DGCA had carried out a thorough assessment and prescribed comprehensive mitigation measures,” Puri had tweeted.

The Civil Aviation Minister tweeted this in response to a tweet stating that ban on wide-body aircraft landing was removed in 2019. He said that AAI strengthened the runway and thereafter, necessary permissions were issued in 2018 to operate wide-body aircraft.

Consequently, certain carriers started operating some flights with wide-body aircraft to Kozhikode Airport.