UAE expats welcome trial flight landing in Kerala’s 4th international airport

February 24, 2016

Dubai, Feb 24: Expatriates from Kerala are excited about having a fourth international airport in their home state.

kannur

The Kannur International Airport (KIA) is all set to have its first trial landing of an aircraft on February 29. Expats from Malabar region cannot wait for the airport to be fully operational, as that would mean they can directly fly into their hometown.

The Director General of Civil Aviation has given clearance and a defence aircraft will touch down on the runway on the morning of February 29. The military plane will take off from the Karipur International Airport and land on the partially-completed runway. Full-fledged operation of international flights from KIA will commence from September 2016.

“KIA, which boasts a 4,000 meter runway when completed, is strategically positioned for both expatriates and business community from Malabar region. It can accommodate international travellers from Coorg and Mysore from the neighbouring state of Karnataka apart from serving those of the surrounding districts in Kerala, such as Vayanad, Kasargodu and Kozhikkodu, said Vinay Nambiar, UAE Country Head, Spice Jet. “Today someone going to Coorg need to travel to Mangalore and then take a road journey of about six hours,” he added.

The expected flow of international passengers through the new airport by 2026 is 4.6 million passengers per year and a cargo movement of 60,758 tonnes per annum. The projected aircraft movement from KIA is 39,638 per annum with a peak hour aircraft movement of 18 flights.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, P Shashindran, a resident of Kannur, said: “Out of four international airports in Kerala, KIA is going to be the biggest international airport with 4,000 meter runway, making it suitable for any type of aircraft to land there.” He said, other two adjacent airports are table-top airports with limited space for expansion.

“With the completion of KIA, the place will become another hub for textile exports from India. Recently the National Institute of Fashion Technology came to Kannur and I am sure the airport project will only boost it further. There is not a single family in Malabar without a NRI and the new airport will definitely be useful,” he added.

A fifth airport in central Kerala has been in debate for some time now. KIA is being developed by Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL), a public limited company. The Phase 1 project cost would be approximately Indian Rs.1,892 crore including the cost of land.

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News Network
July 10,2020

Dubai, Jul 10: Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan has appointed Dina Amin as CEO of the Visual Arts Commission.

She will take the lead in implementing the ministry’s vision and directions in promoting and developing visual arts in the Kingdom and empowering practitioners in the field.

Amin is a leading Saudi specialist in visual arts and the international contemporary art field. She gained a bachelor’s degree in art history and architecture from Wellesley College, in the US, and also attended a collaborative program in architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

During her career, spanning more than two decades, she has held senior positions in prominent international arts companies, including most recently Phillips, a global auction house for art, design, watches, jewels, and more.

She has also worked at Christie’s, one of the world’s most famous auction houses, employed in senior roles at the company’s international offices including New York, Dubai, and London.

The Visual Arts Commission is one of 11 new cultural bodies recently launched by the Ministry of Culture in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan to manage the empowerment and development of the Kingdom’s cultural sector. The commission will be responsible for managing and developing the visual arts sector to help achieve the ministry’s goals.

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News Network
April 29,2020

Dubai, Apr 29: Saudi Arabia reported 1,325 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 21,402, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday (April 28).

Meanwhile, the ministry reported 169 recoveries today, with total recoveries in the kingdom at 2,953. There are 125 cases in intensive care.

The ministry also confirmed 5 deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to 157.

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News Network
July 5,2020

Riyadh, Jul 5: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has approved the extension of the validity of the expired iqama (residency permit) and exit and reentry visas of expatriates who are outside the Kingdom for a period of three months without any fee.

The iqama of expatriates inside the Kingdom as well as the visa of visitors who are in the Kingdom of which the validity expires during the period of suspension of entry and exit from the Kingdom will also be extended for a period of three months without any charge.

The validity of final exit visas as well as exit and reentry visas issued for expatriates, who are in the Kingdom, but were not used during the lockdown period will be extended for a period of three months without any fee, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting an official source at the Ministry of Interior.

The ministry source said that these measures were taken as part of the continuous efforts made by the government of King Salman to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on individuals as well as on private sector establishments and investors, economic activities in the Kingdom, following the adoption of the preventive measures to stem the spread of the pandemic.

The beneficiaries of the King’s order include all expatriates who are outside the Kingdom on exit and reentry visas, which expired during the lockdown period and after lifting of the lockdown.

These expatriates are not in a position to return to the Kingdom due to the enforcement of suspension of international flight service and temporary ban on entry and exit from the Kingdom.

The beneficiaries also include those expatriates who are still in the Kingdom after issuance of final exit visas or exit and reentry visas but could not travel because of the suspension of entry and exit from the Kingdom.

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