Tirupati airport to get international tag

Amaravati: The Central government has taken steps to give international airport status to the Tirupati airport. As a part of this process, the Central government directed the AP state home department to take up responsibility of immigration in the airport. The police officials set up office in the airport to check documents relating to immigration of the foreign nationals.

The airport officials have already allotted space to set up customs office and written a letter to the customs officials to set up their office. The health department will soon set up its office in the airport for health check-up soon. In order to declare airport as an international airport, it must have immigration, customs and health check-up offices in the airports.

After that the Union Cabinet will declare the airport as an international airport. If declared, it will become second international airport in the state after Vizag. The international flight operators would have to apply for time slot allotment to operate flights to the Tirupati International Airport.

Tirupati International Airport would have to work 24x7 soon. At present airport is working in two shifts. The airport authority has taken steps to operate it in three shifts and they have already begun the process. In order to operate the airport in three shifts, there is a need to increase the staff in the airport.

Sources in the AAI informed that so far no international flights operators have applied for time slot allotment to the ministry of civil aviation to operate flights to the Tirupati International Airport. But they are expressing willingness to operate flights to Tirupati. The airport officials are getting phone calls from Gulf countries to inquire about flights facility to Tirupati.