| Trivandrum International Airport തിരുവനന്തപുരം അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര വിമാനത്താവളം |
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| International terminal (Terminal 3) of the Airport | |||
| IATA: TRV – ICAO: VOTV
TRV
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| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Airports Authority of India | ||
| Location | Thiruvananthapuram | ||
| Hub for | Air India Express | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 13 ft / 4 m | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 14/32 | 3,398 | 11,148 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (Apr '10 - Mar '11) | |||
| Passenger movements | 2,526,885 | ||
| Aircraft movements | 24,869 | ||
| Cargo tonnage | 39,335 | ||
| Source: AAI [1][2][3] | |||
Trivandrum International Airport (Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര വിമാനത്താവളം (IATA: TRV, ICAO: VOTV) is located in Thiruvananthapuram and is the first airport in the state of Kerala, India. It is the first international airport in a non-metro city in India.[4] TIA is considered as an "all weather" airport in the country[5] and is ISO 9001-2000 certified.Owing to this many flights from Cochin and Calicut are diverted here when ever weather hinders visibility in the respective airports. It is the 8th busiest airport in the country in terms of international passenger traffic and 10th busiest in terms of overall passenger traffic.[6]
The Trivandrum International terminal is located approximately 3.7 km (2.3 mi) due west from the central business district,[4] 16 km (9.9 mi) from Kovalam beach, 9.4 km (5.8 mi) from Technopark Trivandrum and 21 km (13 mi) from the proposed Vizhinjam International Seaport.
In addition to civil operations, Trivandrum Airport also caters to the IAF (Indian Air Force) and the Coast Guard for their strategic operations. IAF have an exclusive apron to handle all their operations. Trivandrum airport also caters for the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology[7] which carries out pilot training activities.
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The airport was established in 1932 as part of the Royal Flying Club under the initiative of Colonel Goda Varma Raja, husband of H.H Queen Karthika Thirunal of Travancore Kingdom.[8] Col G.V Raja, being a trained pilot, felt the need an airport to accommodate Travancore in the aviation map of India.
In 1935, on royal patronage of H.H Maharaja Chitra Thirunal, Tata Airlines made its maiden flight to the airport using DH.83 Fox Moth aircraft under command of India's first pilot Nevill Vintcent, carried two passengers Jamshed Navoroji, a Tata company official, and Kanchi Dwarakadas, commercial agent of Travancore to Bombay Presidency along with a special mail from Viceroy of British India, Lord Willingdon wishing birthday greetings to the Maharaja.[9]
The first flight from the airport took off on 1 November 1935, carrying mails of Royal Anchal (Travancore Post) to Bombay. Soon in 1938, the Royal Government of Travancore acquired a Dakota aircraft as Maharaja's private aircraft and placed 1st squadron of Royal Indian Air Force (Travancore) for protection of state from aerial attacks. After Independence, the airstrip was used for handling domestic flights with construction of a domestic terminal- T1. International operations were initiated by Air India to several cities in the Middle East during the latter half of the 80s. Very soon, SriLankan Airlines (then Air Lanka) & Air Male joined the race. On 1 January 1991, it was upgraded to an international airport, making it the first such airport in India outside the metropolitan cities.
On 1 March 2011, The first flight operated from the new international terminal. IX 536 (Air India Express) from Sharjah marked the first arrival and also Air India Express operated the first departure to Dubai from this new terminal. All the international departing passengers must pay INR 575 as users fee from 1 March 2011.
There are three terminals, Terminal 1 and 2 serving solely domestic flights and the Terminal 3 (NITB: New International Terminal Building) serving international flights. The domestic terminal can handle up to 500 passengers at time and the International Terminal can handle 1,600 passengers at a time.[10]
The International terminal ground operations are handled by Air India and Bhadra Ground Handling services Ltd. The terminal is fully air-conditioned with wi-fi facility.The international terminal features more spacious lounges, natural lighting with extensive use of glass roofing and better conveyance facilities for passengers. It also has 3 baggage carousels and elaborate immigration/customs facilities. Flemingo, India's first privately owned duty free operator is managing the duty free shops at the International terminal.
The domestic terminal has basic amenities including cafés, a book-seller, duty-free shopping, free local calls, phone-recharging points and an executive lounge run by Hotel Muthoot Plaza.[11]
| Airlines | Destinations | Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Air Arabia | Sharjah | International |
| Air India | Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai | Domestic |
| Air India | Dammam, Kochi, Kozhikode, Malé, Riyadh, Sharjah | International |
| Air India Express | Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Chennai, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Kochi, Mumbai, Muscat, Salalah, Sharjah | International |
| Emirates | Dubai | International |
| Etihad Airways | Abu Dhabi | International |
| IndiGo | Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai | Domestic |
| Jet Airways | Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai | Domestic |
| Jet Airways | Dammam, Muscat, Sharjah | International |
| Jet Lite | Bangalore, Delhi, Chandigarh | Domestic |
| Kingfisher Airlines | Bangalore | Domestic |
| Kuwait Airways | Kuwait | International |
| Maldivian | Malé | International |
| Oman Air | Muscat | International |
| Qatar Airways | Doha | International |
| SilkAir | Singapore | International |
| Spicejet | Chennai, Hyderabad | Domestic |
| SriLankan Airlines | Colombo | International |
| Tiger Airways | Singapore | International |
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air India Cargo | Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai |
| Kingfisher Xpress | Bangalore |
| Qatar Airways Cargo | Colombo, Doha |
| Saudi Arabian Airlines | Dammam, Hong Kong |
The newly built Terminal 3 has three additional jetways and parking bays to accommodate 8 aircraft. The terminal is built opposite to the current terminal across the runway and is closer to the city side.The terminal, constructed by the AAI and designed by the UK firm, Pascall+Watson architects, is expected to provide impetus to the development of the IT sector and the tourism industry in the southern districts of Kerala (Technopark, Trivandrum and the Technocity, Thiruvananthapuram are respectively at a distance of 12 km (7.5 mi) and 19 km (12 mi) from terminal 3).
The three-storey terminal building with an area of 32,000 sq. meters, is able to handle the passengers of three A-340s and one Boeing 747 aircraft at the same time (roughly 1400 passengers).[12] The annual handling capacity of the terminal will be 1.3 million.
The check-in area has a floor area of 950 sq. metres and the arrival area 570 sq. metres. To enable the passengers to check in at any counter, a Common Users Terminal Equipment (CUTE) is installed. X-ray machines are attached to the side of the conveyor belts for faster clearance of baggage.
The entrance to the terminal is from the Chaka-Eenchakkal road. A bridge has been built across the Parvathy Puthanar canal to link the new terminal to the Kazhakuttam-Inchivila NH (National Highway) 47 bypass.[13] The new terminal has a car park area that can accommodate about 600 cars.
The environment and the surrounding of the terminal is in total green. The preparations of the airport authority are in such a way to keep it in green and eco-friendly. For the purpose the authority has planted 40 different traditional plants inside the campus. In 5 years span, the campus will grow as a miniature forest. The garden, the water fountain and the lawn are well maintained. The advanced sewage handling system is built with the co-operation of Kerala water authority. The airport authority took maximum care for the least usage of electricity. For the purpose, the complex has been built in such a way to absorb maximum natural light.
There is a pre paid taxi service counter and foreign exchange counter on arrivals area.[14]
The cargo activities at the Trivandrum Airport are carried out through the Kerala State Industrial Enterprises (KSIE, A Government of Kerala undertaking). The cargo warehouse is located within the airport premises which has a capacity to import 21000 MT and export 27000 MT per annum. In 2010-11 (up to December 2010), the airport has achieved MT of Import cargo and MT of Export cargo. The KSIE is also developing a satellite cargo import facility on a temporary basis at the NITB terminal for perishable cargo handling till their final master plan is implemented for developing a huge cargo warehouse on 15 acres of land adjoining the NITB.[15]
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