Kerala Floods: Aviation Players Go Beyond the Call of Duty

Aug. 28, 2018

After Kochi airport was flooded on August 15, airlines were asked to fly to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Meanwhile, on August 16, the Civil Aviation Ministry proposed that Kochi’s naval airbase be used for civilian flights.

Joint Secretary Usha Padhee created a WhatsApp group connecting the ministry, Kerala’s Chief Secretary, and the important players in Kochi. In less than 30 hours, regulatory agencies conducted a test flight at the naval facility, and security equipment like x-ray machines and baggage scanners from Thiruvananthapuram were shifted in.

Airlines started flights with smaller ATR planes from August 20, five days after Kochi airport was forced to close.

Read more: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/kerala-floods-aviation-players-go-beyond-the-call-of-duty/article24786226.ece