The Hindu Business Line : `Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram airports may get licence soon'

The process for Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata airports to get a licence has started, the Director General of Civil Aviation, Mr K. Gohain, has said.

"The paper work and inspection of these airports so as to complete the process of issuing a licence has begun. It should be completed soon," the DGCA said on the sidelines of the `International helicopter Safety Team: Regional Conference'.

Currently, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Putaparti, Kochi and Limpui in North East India are among a hand full that have already received a licence. The licence, which is given for a limited period of time before being reviewed after an inspection, is to ensure that airports around the country maintain standards that are certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Sources indicated that the validity of the licence was for a limited period so as to ensure that standards at both the operational side and also with regard to passenger amenities are continuously maintained.

Besides, licensing would ensure that all airports meet safety standards and that the aerodrome manuals are in place, officials said.

Meanwhile, the DGCA made it clear that the Government has no immediate plans to review the Flight Duty Time Limit of commercial pilots. Currently, a commercial pilot is allowed to fly 1,000 hours annually although there has been talk of increasing it to 1,200.