i) Modernisation of Madurai Airport – note worthy achievement of our
chamber:
Chamber was primarily responsible for the establishment of an Airport in Madurai. At the 71st Annual Session of the Chamber held on 21.9.1996 Thiru S. Rethinavelu, then president of the Chamber insisted with the then Union Finance Minister Thiru P.Chidambaram the imperative need for modernization of Madurai Airport to facilitate operation of international flights and allotment funds for the purpose. On 15.5.1998 Chamber delegation empasized with the then Union Civil Aviation Minister Thiru Anand Kumar at New Delhi for speedy implementation of the scheme for the construction of a new terminal building and other modernation works at Madurai Airport. Chamber’s persistent strong representations activated Airport Authority of India to take up implementation of the project for expansion and modernization of Madurai Airport extending its runway from 6000 feet to 7500 feet and preliminary steps for further extension to 9000 feet and also for construction of New Integrated Terminal Building at a cost of 129 crore which was declared opened by the then Hon’ble Union Home Minister Thiru P. Chidambaram on 12.09.2010. The Chamber also took sustained efforts for upgradation of the Airport as an International Airport. Chamber delegation met the successive Civil Aviation Ministers several times at New Delhi from the year 2000 onwards and stressed the necessity for the transformation of Madurai Airport as an international Airport and for starting direct flights from Madurai to Srilanka, Singapore, Malaysia and UAE.
In order to showcase the state-of-the-art infrastructures available at the new Integrated Terminal Building at Madurai Airport and to impress upon the International Airline companies the considerable passenger and cargo traffic potential available in Madurai and other southern districts the Chamber organized an International Airliners meet Presided by Thiru. N. Jegatheesan, President on 17th September, 2010 at Chennai which was a resounding success with as many as 30 representatives from leading Airline companies took part. On theinsistence of the Chamber, the airport was declared as Customs Airport effective from 01.01.2011 and the customs administrative control of the airport was entrusted with Madurai Central Excise Commissionerate.
i) Chamber’s efforts in bringing direct flight from Madurai to Colombo
being the first international connectivity for Madurai.
Chamber delegation led by President Thiru. N. Jegatheesan met Mr. Nishintha Wickeramasinghe, Chairman of Srilankan Airways during his visit to Trichy on
4.12.2011 and Mr.Prasad Kariyawasam, High Commissioner of Srilanka at New Delhi on 4.2.2012 had detailed interaction and insisted for early introduction of direct flight in Colombo- Madurai sector by the Srilankan National airliner. They also met the higher officials of SpiceJet in New Delhi and also at Madurai in this regard.
ii) First flight from Madurai to International Destination.
Chamber’s unremitting endeavors for getting international connectivity at Madurai Airport finally proved successful and the first international flight by SpiceJet commenced in Madurai - Colombo sector from 20th Sep 2012 which was followed by Mihin lanka in the same sector. The Chamber President and Former President were honoured with the issue of first and second boarding passes for the first.
A 50 member trade delegation from the chamber proceeded to Colombo from Madurai in the first flight by Spicejet on 20th Sep. 2012 led by Chamber president Thiru N.Jegatheesan and met businessmen and leading chambers of commerce in colombo on
improving two way trade and investment. A MOU was signed between the Chamber and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The delegation also visited the war ravaged Jaffina area in Srilanka and explored ways and means for improving industrial investment and trade between Tamilnadu and Jaffna area.
iii) Meeting with Air Asia Officials and Malaysian Ministers at Kualalumpur
Chamber President Thiru N. Jegatheesan and Former President Thiru S. Rethinavelu visited Kualaumpur on 29th and 30th Novermber 2011 and met Malayasian Deputy Minster for Foreign affairs Mr. A. Gohilan Pillay and Special Envoy (infrastructure) for India
and South East Asia Dato Seri Samivelu and top officials of Air Asia and insited for commencement of direct flight service by Air Asia in Kualaumpur - Madurai Sector. But to the shock of the Chamber delegation it was informed by Air Asia that though the airliner was willing to introduce direct service to Madurai it could not do so as Madurai airport was not included in the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) entered into between India and Malaysia. Since then, the chamber has been making strong representations to successive. Aviation Ministers in New Delhi in person as well as through submission of Memorandums and insisting for inclusion of Madurai airport in the BASA with other countries especially with Malaysia, Singapore and Gulf nations.
iv) Chamber organized a meeting at Dubai to prompt direct flight in Madurai - Dubai Sector.
A delegation with chamber President Thiru N. Jegatheesan along with office bearers of Madurai Travel Club and Sourashtra Chamber of Commerce led by former Member of Parliament Thiru A.G.S. Rambabu participated in the Interaction Meet organized by the chamber and held at Dubai on 22.1.2013 and impressed upon Air India / Air India Express the need for the introduction of direct service in Madurai - Dubai sector. Shri. Syed M. Salahuddin, MD, ETA Ascon Star a large industrial conglomerate in Dubai presided over the meeting.
The top officials of Air india for Gulf region also took part in the meeting. It was subsequently learnt by the Chamber that Air India was unable to commence operation in the sector due to non availability of sufficient air craft although convinced about the traffic potential. The Chamber made several representations to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and along with its affiliated associations and other associations observed a strong dharna agitation in front of Madurai Airport Terminal Building on 26.4.2013. to press for inclusion of Madurai Airport as a point of call in our Bi-lateral Air Treaties with other countries except to Sri Lanka to facilitate introduction of international flights to Madurai by foreign airlines and also for commencement of international cargo movement in the Airport.
A detailed Memorandum was submitted by the Chamber Office Bearers to Shri Rajiv Nayan Choubey, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation during his visit Madurai on 29.09.2018 insisting for the inclusion of Madurai Airport as a point of call in the Bilateral Air services Agreement with the countries to facilitate foreign airliners to operate
direct flights to Madurai. The airport was declared as cargo airport by Notification
dated 28.5.2013.Madurai Central Excise Commissionrate handed over the custodianship to AAI / Madurai Airport on 15th December 2016 to facilitate inauguration of international cargo handling atthe airport. Sustained strong representation by the Chamber activated commencement of International Cargo operation from 10th Jan 2018 and the inauguration of e-visa facility in Madurai Airport from 19th October 2018.
v) Inauguration of direct flight in Madurai – Singapore Sector :
Chamber’s persistent representations to Union Civil Aviation Ministry activated inauguration of direct flight service in Madurai-Singapore sector from 15th September 2017 by Air India Express and the first Boarding Pass was given to the President Dr. N. Jegatheesan by the Hon’ble Union Minister for State, Shipping Thiru. Pon Radhakrishnan.
vi) Inauguration of International Cargo Terminal at Madurai Airport:
Chamber’s persistent representations with Union Civil Aviation Ministry activated inauguration of International Cargo Terminal at Madurai Airport on 28.11.2017. International Air cargo operation from the airport commenced from 10.01.2018. Chamber OB’s under the leadership of President Thiru N. Jegatheesan participated. Chamber’s continued insistence with the Central Government for Declaration of Madurai Airport as international airport and other imperatives for the sustained growth of the airport.
Chamber is persistently clamoring and leaving no stone unturned for declaration of Madurai Airport as an International Airport and 24X7 airport, inclusion of the airport as point of call in Bilateral Airport Services Treaties (BASA) with other countries especially with Malaysia, Singapore and Gulf countries, extension of the runway to 12500 feet in stages and the employment of permanent plant and quanta tine official offices in the airport.
