Alliance Air mulls operations from Kochi naval base

Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, will operate a ‘proving flight’ to Kochi’s naval base today to study the safety aspects of operating ATR-type aircraft from there, a spokesperson of the national carrier said. Air India is trying to find a way to fly in and out of Kochi where the airport has been closed down till August 26 leaving thousands of passengers stranded, the spokesperson said. 

Incessant rains in the state has left the airport runway flooded. Kerala is facing the worst rain fury and deluge in a century with 13 of the state’s 14 districts under a red alert for the fifth day today. 

The ‘proving flight’ will have a team of officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other flight safety officials, the spokesperson said. 

“If found safe, Alliance Air plans to mount (operate) more flights to Kochi’s defence airbase and also pave the ..