Goa airport to be partially shut for 5 days for runway upgrade

Mumbai: Flight operations from the Goa airport will be affected next week due to partial closure of the runway.

According to a NOTAM issued by the airport authorities to the domestic airlines, the runway will remain closed for operations from April 17 to April 21 for specific hours due to upgradation work.

Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notice containing information concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any facility, service or procedure, among others, in airspace management.

Some airlines have already informed their passengers flying in or out of the Goa airport about the impact of runway closure on services.

The Goa airport is one of the 20 airfields in the country from where scheduled flights are operated besides defence aircraft.

The airport, located in Dabolim in south Goa, is managed by Indian Navy and is part of its INS Hansa base near Vasco.

"Flights operations to and fro Goa will be affected due to the NOTAM issued on the closure of Goa runway," budget carrier IndiGo said in a statement.

As per the NOTAM, the runway will remain closed for flight arrivals and departures from April 17-18 between 0530 hours and 1230 hours and from April 19-21 between 0730 hours and 1230 hours owing to upgradation work.

IndiGo, in the statement, also said as many as 11 of its flights will be affected due to the runway closure.

All passengers booked on these flights are being notified via text messages and other channels, the airline said.