Trivandrum International Airport is situated in the Indian state of Kerala. The airport is situated at a distance of 3.7 km from Thiruvananthapuram (formerly known as Trivandrum) and it is also considered as the gateway for tourists to Kerala. The Trivandrum International Airport was established initially in 1932 as a component part of the Kerala Flying Club. The Airport was upgraded to international standards on January 1, 1991. It was Trivandrum International Airport that carried almost all the passengers and cargo traffic in Kerala before the Cochin International Airport was inaugurated at Nedumbassery.
Even today, the Trivandrum International Airport is considered one of the busiest airports in India that serves the traffic of Kerala as well as the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. From the Airport one can avail direct flights to Kuwait, Singapore, Maldives, Colombo, Sharjah, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Jeddah and the United Arab Emirates. The airport is connected to Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kozhikode and Bangalore by domestic flights. Revenue that the airport earns comes mainly from the Gulf countries as there are a huge number Keralians living there.
The Trivandrum International Airport receives airlines like-- Air Deccan (Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai); Air India (Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai); Air India Express (Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai); JetLite (New Delhi); Jet Airways (Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai); Indian (Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi); Kingfisher Airlines (Bangalore, Goa, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangalore) and Paramount Airways (Chennai, Hyderabad) domestically. My Travel (Gatwick,London EGKK); Air Arabia (Sharjah); Air India (Dammam, Jeddah, Kuwait, Riyadh); Air India Express (Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah); Emirates (Dubai); Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi); Gulf Air (Bahrain, Muscat); Indian (Male, Sharjah); Kuwait Airways (Kuwait); Island Aviation Services (Male); Mihin Lanka (Colombo); Oman Air (Muscat); Qatar Airways (Doha); Singapore Airlines- Silkair (Singapore) and SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) are the international airlines serving the Trivandrum International Airport.
Presently a contruction to build a new third terminal is going on at the Trivandrum International Airport. The main purpose of the terminal will be to serve the increasing number of international passengers. The Union government has also agreed to help the airport authority to upgrade the airport to international standards. It has been projected that this new terminal will also prove to be a big driving force to the development of the city, the IT sector and tourism industry in the southern districts. They also have plans to incorporate modern facilities such as escalators, elevators and aerobridges at the airport. The terminal is also being constructed with the aim of serving passengers of two AB-300s and one Boeing 747 aircraft simultaneously.
The airport authority also has plans to install a Common Users Terminal Equipment (CUTE) in order to endow the passengers to check-in at any counter. For faster clearance of baggage, X-ray machines will be attached to the side of the conveyor belts. They also have plans to increase the space, like the check-in area will have a floor area of 950 sq. metres and the arrival area 570 sq. metres. The entryway to the terminal will be from the Chaka-Eenchakkal road. A bridge will be erected over the Parvathy Puthanar canal to connect the projected new terminal to the Kazhakuttam-Inchivila NH 47 bypass.
The Trivandrum International Airport is well connected to the city. There is a bus service that runs quite often between the airport and the city bus terminal at East Fort, near the Padmanabha Swamy temple. The airport is well connected with taxis and auto rickshaws that is be available outside the terminal. Pre-paid taxi counter is also available in the arrival areas of the terminal buildings. Airport authority also provides facilities like, money and communications: a post office and a bank is there in the arrival area of the international terminal. There is also a bank branch in the departure area. Internet access is also available in the international terminal. Eating and drinking facilities in the departure area include restaurants at the international terminal, snack bars and tea and coffee vending machines. Shopping: There is a duty-free shop in the departure area of the international terminal. Shops selling books, gift items and mobile phones are available in both terminals. There is a lost and found luggage office in the international terminal. Other facilities include an emergency medical unit. The airport has dormitory accommodation and retiring rooms available for transit passengers.
Conference and Business Facilities: There are no business or conference facilities at the airport, but internet access is available in the international terminal. Facilities for Disabled Travellers: The airport offers special assistance and wheelchairs to physically disabled travellers.