The Kozhikode International airport in Kerala is unsafe and landing should not be allowed especially during wet conditions, Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a member of a safety advisory committee constituted, had warned more than nine years ago.
“Given the topography, the airport should have a buffer of 240 metres at the end of the runway, but it has only 90 metres (which the DGCA had approved). “Moreover, the space on either side of the runway is only 75 metres instead of the mandatory 100 metres,” he pointed out.
According to The Hindu, a 2011 Union civil aviation ministry report had flagged safety concerns at the Kozhikode airport. The report said the airport was unsafe for flight operations because of inadequate safety area along the runway and at the end of the runway to safeguard against planes skidding off.
Pilot raises safety concerns with tabletop runway
Mnand Mohan Raj, a pilot at IndiGo Airlines, on Saturday took to Facebook to list down specific safety concerns he experienced a the Kozhikode International Airport.
The pilot said that the airport’s “runway guidance lighting system is very poor” and “braking conditions is not monitored regularly”.
“It’s a nightmare for pilots to land on a tabletop runway, especially at night and under heavy rain and wind conditions,” he wrote.
“Have made feedback to the concerned authorities right after many landing in the last years. Safety is the first word in aviation. Rest in Peace Capt Deepak Sathe and Capt Akhilesh. heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their dear ones (sic),” he added.
 On Friday, an Air India Express plane, which was repatriating Indians stranded in Dubai due to the coronavirus pandemic, overshot the runway of the Calicut International Airport in heavy rain near the southern city of Kozhikode. This was India’s worst passenger aircraft accident since 2010.
