Shivamogga Airport in Karnataka is set to commence operations on August 31, with the first domestic flight arriving in this central Karnataka town, HT reported. The airport, named after renowned Kannada poet Kuvempu, was inaugurated on February 27 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The inaugural Indigo flight will depart from Bengaluru’s Kempe Gowda International Airport at 9:50 am and land at Shivamogga Airport at 11:05 am, reported HT. Notable, passengers on this flight include state ministers MB Patil and Madhu Bangarappa, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, MP BY Raghavendra, and other public representatives from the Malnad region. Shivamogga Airport will be the first airport operated by the state government.

Karnataka minister MB Patil mentioned that there has been a positive initial response to the flight service, with tickets already booked for the next three weeks.

Shivamogga will be the sixth destination for IndiGo in Karnataka, joining Bengaluru, Mysore, Mangaluru, Hubballi, and Belagavi, HT reported. This direct flight aims to improve intrastate connectivity while connecting Shivamogga to important domestic and international destinations via Bengaluru.

Shivamogga Airport, built on a 663-acre land parcel with an investment of ₹449.22 crore, had its foundation laid in June 2020 by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. The Passenger Terminal Building at the airport is designed to accommodate 300 passengers per hour.

This is the 9th domestic airport in Karnataka. Currently, the state’s domestic airports are located at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Ballari, Bidar, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Belagavi and Mangaluru. Bengaluru and Mangaluru airports are the two international airports in the state.Shivamogga Airport boasts the second-longest runway in Karnataka, measuring 3,200 meters, after Kempe Gowda International Airport. It is designed to accommodate aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, with a capacity to handle approximately 200 passengers during peak hours as reported by Mint earlier.