Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is an ambitious aviation project with over thousands of stakeholders. The project is aimed at reducing the cost and strain of traveling to Cochin from other destinations of the country where the international flights hop in at regular intervals.

As Cochin had an airport for the Navy personnel, but the tourists, traders and NRIs visiting Cochin had difficulties regarding their travel. That is why the NRIs along with the representatives of Cochin Port Trust, Government of Kerala and Airport Authority of India formulated a new strategy. They decided together that instead of expanding the Naval Airport expansion project, an international airport should be constructed. A site was selected and proposed by the government for its construction. The construction work began in the year 1993.

The new international airport was finally inaugurated for handling civilian flights on May 25, 1999. The first inaugural flight took off on June 10, 1999. Air Boeing 747 with passengers from the overseas landed on the ground of the international airport on June 21, 1999.

The international terminal complex of the Cochin International Airport has the capacity to accommodate 800 passengers per hour. There is an aerobridge, which allows easy ways to get inside of the aircraft. There are two conveyer belts for the passenger luggage to be transported towards the departure lounge. A big duty free shop is available at the arrival hall prior to the departure. During the peak hour, the arrival hall has the capacity to accommodate 400 passengers. At the arrival there are 8 immigration counters. There are some counters at the airport specifically earmarked for the immigration procedures of the Indian and foreign nationals for the speeding up of the process. The health check is done in any one of the counters exclusively for the Indians and the foreign nationals. Soft drinks and other delicious eatables are provided to the passengers doing the immigration check. The arrival hall is connected to two conveyer belts which indicate glowingly the flight numbers so that the passenger can board the necessary aircraft as per the flight numbers stated.

There is also international transit area which can accommodate a good number of passengers. The transit lounge caters to the clearance of the transit passengers from the airport.

The following aircrafts, which Cochin International Airport handles are

• Airbus 380 Super Jumbo
  
• Boeing 747 Jumbo
  
• Airbus 300
  
• Being 737 to 400
  
• Airbus A-330
  
• Airbus A-340