First flight from BIA on May 23

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/15/stories/2008051550130100.htm
Bangalore Bureau

Set to create history: An Indian flight will be the first to take off from Bangalore International Airport on May 23.

Bangalore: An Indian flight to Singapore will be the first aircraft to take off from the new Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli on May 23.

Sources said that the IC 957 Airbus A-320 will take off from Devanahalli at 00.01 hours on May 23.

“This flight to Singapore is popular among passengers headed for destinations in Australia, the west coast of the U.S. and Japan,” sources told The Hindu.

Meanwhile, the Airlines Operators Committee (AOC) has informed its members that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a notification regarding the opening of the airport on May 23.

It has said that the airport will be open for landing at 8 p.m. on May 22 and the first departure will be at 00.01 hours. HAL Airport will cease to be operational for civilian traffic on that day, an AOC communiqué said.

The inauguration of the new airport will be a low-key function, a senior State Government official said.

The State Government and Bangalore International Airport Ltd, are, meanwhile, awaiting a formal notification from the Centre announcing the closure of the HAL Airport and the opening of the new airport.

The Election Commission has given its approval for the inauguration of the new airport at Devanahalli, Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami told The Hindu.

Irony

There is some irony in the fact that the existing operator of the airport at Bangalore, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), has no information about the timing of impending closure.

A senior official at HAL said, “The commercial airlines may know it, but we have no information.” He hinted that the Ministry may be issuing the notification on HAL’s closure soon.

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