INDIAN Airlines will be extending the daily Sharjah- Calicut flight to the new international airport at Nedumbassery in Cochin from July 1.

According to an official release, the sector would be serviced with the wide-bodied Air-bus A 300 instead of the Airbus A-320. The bigger aircraft can carry 246 passengers, including 32 in the first class. This is against the 144 capacity of the A320 aircraft.

The flight IC 990 will depart Sharjah at 2.30am to reach Calicut at 7.30 am local time. Being extended to Cochin, the flight will reach Nedumbassery airport at 8.45 am.

On the return route, the flight IC 989 will leave Cochin at 3.45 pm and depart Calicut at 5 pm to reach Sharjah at 7.50 pm.

This is the first regular air link between Cochin and Calicut cities.