Is Mangalore Airport Ready for More International Flights?
Daijiworld Media Network
Mangalore, Jan 22: Ever since the first direct interantional flight landed from Dubai at Bajpe airport, many developments have been taking place.
If the price of land around jumped up manifold, many potential investors have chosen Mangalore as their next destination for business development and expansion. Though, for the time being, only Dubai is connected direct to Mangalore, efforts are going on from around the Gulf countries to seek direct flight from respective destinations.
Just because Air India Express is operating from Dubai for three times a week, one cannot come to the conclusion that Mangalore has become full-fledged international airport. The acid test for its capability to handle international flights started in the month of December during the peak season. On many an occasion, there was chaos at the airport when the flights were delayed and luggage had not arrived along with the flights. Passengers from Dubai are simply not ready for such a situation, because expectation were too high.
The three-and-half-hours' direct journey was only on the mind of every passenger. It was learnt that, airport officials at Mangalore airport faced embarrassment because of the problems of the airlines and passengers. A key official was heard saying even, "If such things keep happening, even the present single international flight operation might be cancelled some day!"
It can be recalled that, the international operation to Mangalore was started more because of the pressure from the NRI community in UAE than government or airline interest.
Several passengers have submitted written complaints about the inconvenience caused. Quickly, daijiworld has forwarded the issues to top level Air India officials.
Thanks to the quick action from AirIndia, things became normal, once the fog situation at Delhi and Amritsar improved. Many may not be aware that the tri-weekly flight from Dubai to Mangalore actually emanates from Amritsar. If any flight is delayed in Amritsar, by chain reaction, it will affect the flight to Mangalore. The fact that during the past two weeks the flights have been on time and it is a sign that things have improved in and around Amritsar.
But Is Mangalore airport ready for more International flights?
This important question will not be answered by any official direct, but one can easily find the answer if he / she can watch airport operations closely.
"At the moment, Mangalore airport is well equipped to handle only one flight from any one international destination" said an official to daijiworld.
More flights per day can be better handled when the new terminal gets ready in April 2007. "Currently our staff is overworked and that too when flights are delayed, sometimes our ground staff had to wait and work for more than 20 hours day!" said the official further. The situation will improve, if the AAI provides more handling staff. A request to this effect has already been made, we are told.
Abu Dhabi - Muscat - Mangalore flight from mid February?
No officials at Air India Express or Mangalore airport have been able to cite a clear date for maiden Muscat-Mangalore flight. There are several tentative dates mentioned in various quarters but a firm date still could not be fixed, since there is no clear indication from Mangalore airport
"Air India Express is asking for Thursday and Saturday flight from Muscat, but on the same day there is a flight from Dubai, so we are not fully equipped to receive two flights a day," was the clear indication from Mangalore Airport authority spokesperson.
"Perhaps we can handle, if the flight timings are allotted with a gap of at least six hours one after the other." This is the most genuine and practical answer.
"There will be soon agreement between Air India and Mangalore Airport regrading these timings. If both sides agree we do not see any problem in landing the flight," he says.
Daijiworld readers may recall that the first news was published on the website AI Express: Abu Dhabi- Muscat-Mangalore Flight from Jan 07 on Nov 18, 2006 about the proposal of direct Abu Dhbai - Muscat- Mangalore flight. AIr India chief in Mumbai has assured that the maiden flight will be during January 2007. Though, the flight operation is certain in the next few days, no one will be able to give any correct date.
It can be considered confirmed when on-line ticket booking is available on www.airindiaexpress.in.
"You can assurances of several such dates, but only when the tickets are available on the Net, it would be certthe flight is going to to take off.."
When daijiworld contacted Air India officials in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Mumbai, they said "No firm confirmation is received."
Doha - Bahrain -Mangalore direct flight from March 2007?
Air India official P P Singh, in a communication to Rajesh Sequiera, NRI Karnataka coordinator from Dubai, has said that from the coming summer schedule Air India Express was planning to fly one flight per week from Doha to Mangalore via Bahrain.
He has also assured Rajesh that Air India Express would think of operating from Kuwait and Dammam, but no certain dates or plans have been revealed, but these destinations are under consideration, he assured.
When asked about the daily flights to Mangalore, Capt P P Singh informed Rajesh that five flights per week to Mangalore were expected to start in Jan 07, but again due to domestic reasons, the flight will take five operations per week from March 2007, as soon as the summer schedule is announced.
AI Express and Mangalore Airport:
The bond between Air India Express and Mangalore Airport will go stronger in the coming days. Since Mangalore is still a custom airport and no foreign airlines are allowed to land at least for the time being, AI Express is exploiting full opportunities to meet the expectations of the NRIs.
Indian Airlines, another national carrier which is the only other airline allowed to land at Mangalore airport, though showing keen interest in direct operation from the Gulf, the new aircraft allocations to other domestic destinations have put a setback towards Mangalore's connectivity with international direct destinations.
Follow-up reports:
Mangalore International Airport - Complete Coverage: