Tuticorin Airport

Tuticorin Airport
Facade of the airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMinistry of Civil Aviation
OperatorAirports Authority of India
ServesThoothukkudi
LocationVagaikulam, Thoothukkudi district, Tamil Nadu, India
Opened30 April 1992 (1992-04-30)
Time zoneIndian Standard Time (+5:30)
Elevation AMSL39 m / 129 ft
Coordinates08°43′27″N 078°01′33″E / 8.72417°N 78.02583°E / 8.72417; 78.02583
WebsiteTuticorin Airport
Map
TCR is located in Tamil Nadu
TCR
TCR
Location of airport in Tamil Nadu
TCR is located in India
TCR
TCR
TCR (India)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 3,350 10,990 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2024 - March 2025)
Passengers230,151 (Increase 15.2%)
Aircraft movements3,676 (Increase 21.7%)
Cargo tonnage13 (Increase 73.6%)
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

Tuticorin Airport (IATA: TCR, ICAO: VOTK) is a domestic airport serving the city of Thoothukudi and its adjoining districts of Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu, India.[4] It is located along the National Highway 7A at Vagaikulam, about 15.6 km (9.7 mi) west of the city centre. The airport was ISO 9001:2015 quality certified on 13 April 2018.[5] It is the fifth-busiest airport in the state after Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai airports.[1]

History

Tuticorin airport was inaugurated in 1992, with the first aircraft, belonging to the regional carrier Vayudoot, landing on 13 April. This service was short-lived and operated only for 14 months.[6] Three years later, NEPC Airlines operated a regular service from Chennai to Thoothukudi via Kochi for about six months. A decade later, Air Deccan began flights to the airport on 1 April 2006.[6]

Facilities

An aircraft parked at the apron

The airport had a 1,350 m (4,430 ft) long, and 30 m (98 ft) wide asphalt runway, which was extended to 3,115 m (10,220 ft) length and expanded to 45 m (148 ft) width in 2025.[6][7] It is equipped with a Cat-I Instrument Landing System.[7] There is a 1,573 m (5,161 ft) long and 23 m (75 ft) wide parallel taxiway, and a 149 m (489 ft) long taxi way linking the main taxiway to the runway. The main apron measuring 191 m × 89 m (627 ft × 292 ft), is capable of accommodating five narrow body aircraft. A separate parking bay measuring 76 m × 91 m (249 ft × 299 ft) can accommodate an additional aircraft, which is linked to the runway by a 244.5 m (802 ft) long taxiway.[7]

Interior of the new terminal

In September 2020, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced an expansion project that included the expansion of the runway and taxiway, construction of new parking bays, Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, and terminal building at a total cost of ₹3.81 billion (US$45 million).[7][8] About 600.97 acres (243.20 ha) of land was earmarked for the expansion of the airport, and an additional 110 acres (45 ha) of land was set aside for the usage of Indian Air Force and the Indian Coastguard.[7] The expansion project was initiated on 25 July 2020.[9] A technical block and a fire station were also constructed as a part of the project.[10] Night landing facilities were established at the airport in 2020 with the first night landing on 3 July 2020.[11]

The new terminal building covers an area of 17,341 m2 (186,660 sq ft), and is capable of handling up to 1,400 passengers per hour. It is equipped with three aerobridges, four entry gates, seven baggage scanners, and 21 check-in counters.[6] Indian prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal building on 26 July 2025.[12]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
IndiGoBengaluru[13], Chennai[13][14]
SpiceJetChennai[13]

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at TCR airport. See Wikidata query.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Demand to modernise Tuticorin airport". The Hindu. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Short quotation notice" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d Sudhakar, P. (22 July 2025). "New-look Thoothukudi airport ready with extended runway to receive larger flights even after dusk". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 July 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e PFR for the Extension of Runway with Blast Pad, RESA, Taxiway, Apron, GSE Area, Isolation Bay, New Domestic Terminal Building & Miscellenious Works at Tuticorin Airport. Airports Authority of India (Report). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Tuticorin airport being upgraded at a cost of Rs 381 cr". Business World. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ^ Sudhakar, P. (25 July 2020). "Expansion of Thoothukudi airport runway begins". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Tuticorin Airport Being Upgraded For Rs 381 Crore: Airports Authority Of India". Bloomberg Quint. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Tuticorin airport handles its first night flight". The Times of India. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  12. ^ "PM Modi inaugurates new terminal building of Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin airport". Hindustan Times. 26 July 2025. Archived from the original on 30 July 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  13. ^ a b c "SpiceJet resumes flight services to Thoothukudi". The Hindu. 31 March 2025. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Flying regional from Chennai on IndiGo's small aircraft? Head to Terminal 4 instead of Terminal 1 from June 1". MSN. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
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