Karipur: Operations of four jumbo flights at the Karipur International Airport have been suspended on account of the recarpeting of the runway.
The cancelled flights are Air India Kozhikode-Jeddah, Kozhikode-Riaydh, Saudi Airlines Kozhikode-Riyadh-Jeddha and Emirate Airlines Kozhikode- Dubai services.
The move will disrupt air travel to Gulf countries, affecting lakhs of Keralites working there.
The airport hosts 52 schedules (26 arrivals and 26 departures) a week. The Gulf schedules are mostly operated by Saudi Airlines, Air India and Emirates.
Airport authorities has said it undertake the runway re-carpeting work for safety reasons arising out of its precarious surface condition after the last monsoon.
AAI has also requested the Kerala government to provide 248 acres of land for runway extension and related works, the release said.