Why doesn’t Lucknow have direct flights to Europe, US?
PENDING PROPOSAL Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport yet to get 700 metres land required for expansion of runway
LUCKNOW: The Chaudhary Charan Singh (CCS) Airport in Lucknow does not have direct connectivity with Europe, Latin America, Australia and the US as it is yet to get 700 metres of land required for runway expansion.
Despite having good traffic for the above destinations, Lucknow airport can only host flights for Singapore, Thailand and Dubai, as bigger aircraft like Boeing 747-757 are unable to land on its small runway.
The runway is just enough to handle operations of mid-size aircraft.
At present, only 300-seat planes with smaller fuel tanks are able to operate from the airport that already has ‘international status’.
According to airport spokesperson Sanjay Narayan, a runway of at least 3,500 metres is required for operations of bigger planes but the present runway is only 2,800 metres long, which only allows operation of mid-size aircraft.
The AAI requires only 700 metres of additional land for making Lucknow airport one of the leading airports of the country.
Airport authority of India (AAI) officials are scheduled to meet the chief secretary on August 25 to pursue their demand for land situated towards Shaheed Path. The AAI’s proposal to expand the runway is pending with the state government for over 10 years, but there has been no progress due to inaction. The land survey had also been completed.
Currently, over 140 flights operate from Lucknow airport every day, but the number could see a threefold increase with the extension of runway, said AAI officials.
“Some locals have settled in the area marked for runway expansion. They need to be removed so that Lucknowites can get direct flights to US, Britain and other European countries,” said an official.
Now, the AAI wants the state government to help remove hurdles in way of runway expansion. The previous Samajwadi Party government had assured the AAI of all possible help in acquiring land for expansion of runway.
AAI officials said it is important to extend the runway up to 3,500 metres so that bigger aircraft like Boeing can land here. This would not only help increase business of the airport but also connect Lucknow with other countries of the world.