July 10 date for AI’s International operation

Bhubaneswar: Come July 10, the Biju Patnaik International Airport here will witness the operation of its first flight to abroad. Air India-077 which will land here in the morning will leave for Dubai via New Delhi, airport sources said.

The customs and immigration checks of all the passengers including those from New Delhi leaving for Dubai will be conducted at city airport. Concerned departments including customs and immigration, central industrial security force (CISF), health and plant quarantine have reportedly given a go-ahead for the operation from the airport.

“The trial run of the Air India flight is scheduled on July 8 and the scheduled operation is slated to begin on July 10,” city airport director Sharad Kumar said.

“AI-077 which will land here at 9:45 am is scheduled to leave for Dubai via New Delhi at 2pm on the same day and will change to AI-078,” Kumar added.

Bhubaneswar Airport under the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is suitable for operation of Code 'D' aircraft of type B-767-400. The airport is also equipped with night operation facilities, runway 14/32 of dimension 2743m X 45m, apron to park six aircrafts and navigational aids.

To attract international fliers to the state, the State government has already slashed value added tax (VAT) on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to zero from five per cent.