INS Dega, a cornerstone in the aviation landscape of Vizag since 1999, has marked another milestone with the early completion of its main runway resurfacing work. The project, initiated in response to the burgeoning demand for aviation services in the fast-growing metropolis, aims to enhance the efficiency and safety of the airfield, catering to both domestic and international flights.
The 10,000-ft runway, that could accommodate wide-bodied aircraft, was originally inaugurated on June 15, 2007. After being in service for more than 15 years and having a significant increase in airplane movements (708-80 movements per day), an upgrade of the runway became imperative. Despite challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic, which delayed the initiation of the project to November 2023, efforts of the Headquarters Eastern Naval Command (HQENC) made the completion of the project early.
Japan Airlines (JAL) said it would buy 21 wide-body A350-900 and 11 A321 neo narrow-body jets from Airbus, which will provide single-aisle jets to the long-time Boeing customer for the first time. Japan’s second-largest airline also said it would buy 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets. JAL has traditionally been a Boeing customer, although Airbus made its first sale to the airline in 2013 with A350 planes.
HQENC announced that the runway at Visakhapatnam will resume round-the-clock operations from April 1 in perfect alignment with the summer schedule.
