Saudia (SV, Jeddah International) is set to become the first carrier to resume deploying widebody aircraft to Kozhikode in the southern Indian state of Kerala after the authorities cleared the airport for such operations again, The Hindu has reported.
The Saudi flag carrier plans to operate the service to Kozhikode with either a B777-200(ER) or an A330-300. Is not yet clear whether it intends to fly from Riyadh or Jeddah International, although flights could be launched as soon as October 2018.
Emirates is also reportedly conidering resuming flights to Kozhikode. Likewise, Air India (AI, Delhi International) is also interested in deploying widebodies to Kozhikode. Air India currently operates 21 weekly departures out of the airport - seven each to Dubai International, Mumbai International, and Sharjah, using A321-200 equipment. The carrier's subsidiary Air India Express operates a further 80 weekly departures, all onboard B737-800s.
Kozhikode was closed to widebody traffic in May of 2015 for what was initially expected to be a six-month period in the aftermath of a wide-ranging safety investigation into the 2010 crash of an Air India Express' B737-800 in Mangalore Bajpe. Since then, the runway was extended and new procedures installed.
