Sri Sathya Sai Airport

Sri Sathya Sai Airport
IATA: PUT ICAO: VOPN
Summary
Airport type	Private
Location	Puttaparthi
Elevation AMSL	1,558 ft / 475 m
Coordinates	14°08′57″N 077°47′28″E
Website	www.aai.aero/
Map
PUT Show map of Andhra Pradesh PUT Show map of India
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 09/27 7,315 2,230 Asphalt

Sri Sathya Sai Airport (IATA: PUT, ICAO: VOPN) is located at Puttaparthi in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The airport is named after Sathya Sai Baba, a spiritual guru and philanthropist. It is a small airport with facilities for chartered flights rather than commercial aircraft. The airport was inaugurated in 1990 to serve the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences during emergency situations. The airport's 1000-metre-long airstrip and terminal building were constructed by L&T ECC. The runway was later extended to enable the operation of larger jet aircraft.^[1]

History

The Sri Sathya Sai Airport was opened on 24 November 1990 to provide emergency air service to the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, as well as commercial service for visitors to Prasanthi Nilayam, Sathya Sai Baba's ashram located in the village.^[1]

Until 2006, the Sri Sathya Sai Airport had scheduled flights to Mumbai and to Chennai airport operated by Indian Airlines. From 2006 to 2008, Indian Airlines operated flights to Puttaparthi as a stopover for their Hyderabad-Vishakhapatnam services.^[2] Indian Airlines also offered flights to Bangalore thrice a week in 2005.^[3][4] On 12 November 2005, the Indian low-cost carrier Air Deccan commenced operations from and to Hyderabad and Chennai twice a day.^[5] Delhi-based charter airline Jagson Airlines also began service to Puttaparthi from Chennai in 2007, before they ceased in 2008. Kingfisher Airlines served Puttaparthi from Hyderabad and Bangalore from 2007 until 2008, when all scheduled flights to Puttaparthi ceased.^[6][7] The airport continues to serve the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Puttaparthi for emergency purposes, and hosts dignitaries who visit Prashanti Nilayam and the surrounding area.^[8]

See also

• List of airports in Andhra Pradesh

References

1. "Projects for Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust" (PDF). Larsen and Toubro. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
2. "Travel to Prasanthi Nilayam". Sathyasai.org. 16 November 2002. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
3. "Sai Global Harmony - Began". Radiosai.org. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
4. "Air Deccan launches service to Puttaparthi". The Hindu. 14 November 2005. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
5. "Air Deccan launches services to Puttaparthi". India Aviation. India Aviation. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
6. "Kadapa, Warangal airports to be revived". Business Standard. BENNETT, COLEMAN & CO. LTD. 18 January 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
7. Ramanathan, S Kalyana (31 October 2007). "Sri Sathya Sai Baba's airport up for sale". Business Standard. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
8. "Puttaparthi airport to facilitate emergency landings; security to be beefed up". DECCAN CHRONICLE. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

External links

Media related to Sri Sathya Sai Airport at Wikimedia Commons