Raipur, Patna, Ranchi airports to operate on 24-hr basis from 2018: AAI

New Delhi Nov 9 (IANS) The government on Thursday said airports at Raipur Patna Ranchi and Guwahati will be operated round-the-clock from next year.

According to Guruprasad Mohapatra Chairman of the state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) these four airports have all the facilities for 24-hour operations including the one required for night landing.

"These airports have all the facilities needed for 24-hour operations... However due to low traffic to these airports their operational hours were restricted " Mohapatra told reporters here.

"Now with exponential growth being seen at these airports... we have decided to operate them round-the-clock. Airlines have also shown interest in operating to these airports during night time and may add late night flights to these airports."

Mohapatra said that the state-run firm was ascertaining the increased manpower requirements to operate these airports on a 24-hour basis.

"We plan to operate these airports on a 24-hour basis from April 2018 onwards " he added.

Currently AAI has a total of over 125 airports in its portfolio out of which around 30 are operated on 24-hour basis.

--IANS
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