Amit Shah was permitted to land at Kannur airport, yet to be opened on November 9.
Kannur International Airport Ltd on Monday said it was KIAL and not the state government which granted landing permission to the chartered aircraft carrying BJP President Amit Shah on October 27, ahead of its formal inauguration on December 9.
The clarification came in the wake of the controversy which had erupted over the flight landing ahead of the inauguration date. A minister slammed Mr Shah for threatening to oust the LDF government despite permission to arrive.
A KIAL release on Monday said that since Kannur airport had received license for operations of non-scheduled flights, it could allow any requests for landing of flights, though operation
of scheduled flights would commence after December 6.
KIAL said the requisite amount for landing of the flight has to be paid to the airport operator, the release said.
On that basis, the chartered flight carrying the BJP president was permitted to land at the airport and the necessary charges were also paid.
Besides this, two non-scheduled flights were also permitted to land.
It was KIAL and not the state government which granted permission for the flight to land, the airport authority said.
Congress had also taken on the LDF government for allowing the BJP chief to use the airport.
The party had alleged Sunday that Mr Shah landed at the airport following an 'understanding' between him and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The release said that when the previous Congress led UDF government conducted a trial run of a flight at the airport, most of the infrastructure had not been completed and only 2,300 metres of runway was laid.