Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) staffers are racing against time to get the airport up and running by the August 26 deadline, but airline experts think it might take a few more days. The release of dam water and subsequent flooding of Kochi airport has led to its closure for more than 10 days, causing CIAL an estimated loss of over Rs 220 crore. A senior CIAL official said, "Floodwaters have damaged the entire airport right from the conveyor belt, X-ray scanning machines, stalls to landing lights on the runway. Cleaning and restoration work is still underway."

While there were apprehensions that the solar panels set up to meet the airport's power requirements had got damaged in the flood waters, A C K Nair, director, CIAL, said, "Only a few solar control systems were damaged, and work is on to repair and restore the damaged parts."