KOLKATA: Cash-strapped Jet Airways on Wednesday introduced the suspension of all domestic and world flights. But in Kolkata, the withdrawal of flights began nearly a yr ago with the service decreasing the selection of departures from 48 in 2017 to first 22 by way of mid-2018 to six and in spite of everything two earlier than even those had been pulled out last week. The have an effect on of pulling of so many flights has sharply impacted Kolkata airport’s growth, a challenge that other airports in the nation will face in 2019-20 if Jet Airways doesn’t take to the skies once more.
According to stats on Kolkata airport launched by way of the Airports Authority of India in 2018-19, passenger site visitors grew at 10% to hit nearly 22 million, 2 million greater than 2017-18. But the growth slowed down from a racy 26% in 2017-18 to 10% in 2018-19 as Jet Airways pulled out flights during the yr, impacting numbers. This is the bottom growth in the last 3 years. The airport had recorded a growth of 24% in 2016-17 and 14% in 2015-16.
Of the 22 million passengers who flew out of Kolkata airport in the yr below overview, 19.1 million had been domestic and a pair of.8 million world. The busiest month was January when nearly 2 million passengers took flights out of Kolkata. August, in comparison, was the least busy with nearly 3,00,000 less passengers taking flights.
The have an effect on of the Jet Airways pullout will have had a more hostile affect on growth had no longer IndiGo Airlines added over two dozen flights all through the yr. However, the have an effect on will proceed to be felt in 2019-20 as neatly for the reason that Jet Airways operated over 11,000 flights and carried 1.5 million passengers during the yr. Unless the airline resumes operations in May and reconnects Kolkata, the airport's growth estimates will pass haywire.
Kolkata airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee though expects a strong growth with other carriers — IndiGo, GoAir, AirAsia India and Vistara — anticipated so as to add flights to Kolkata. While IndiGo may turn Kolkata into an international hub for flights to South-East Asia and China, other airways will increase their domestic network by way of connecting Kolkata to more than one cities.
“Given the growth projections, Kolkata airport will succeed in its capability of 24 million passengers a yr in 2019-20. The challenge shall be to handle the growth thereafter as any addition to the capability by the use of a 2nd phase of growth will take at least 3 years to execute. While that plan is on the drawing board, we are working on ways to extend ease of trip through Kolkata airport by way of ringng in numerous changes. Most of them will happen during the yr,” stated Bhattacharjee.
Among the facilities covered up are inline baggage X-ray at the domestic terminal, further bus boarding gates for flights in far flung bays and new safety check for domestic transfer. “All the facilities are intended for passenger convenience. The airport infrastructure and passenger needs are repeatedly being assessed,” the airport director stated.
The 2nd phase of growth so as to add a capability of 9 million passengers a yr to take the airport’s capability to 23 million is anticipated to be finalized a while this yr. On the anvil is the extension of the security cling area (SHA) in the domestic wing by way of razing the outdated domestic terminal. AAI is raring so as to add at least 10 aerobridges to take the depend to 24 for use by way of domestic flights. There are 4 more aerobridges for world flights.
There is an offer to extend the SHA in the world wing as neatly and add two more aerobridges if IndiGo turns Kolkata into an international hub.
According to stats on Kolkata airport launched by way of the Airports Authority of India in 2018-19, passenger site visitors grew at 10% to hit nearly 22 million, 2 million greater than 2017-18. But the growth slowed down from a racy 26% in 2017-18 to 10% in 2018-19 as Jet Airways pulled out flights during the yr, impacting numbers. This is the bottom growth in the last 3 years. The airport had recorded a growth of 24% in 2016-17 and 14% in 2015-16.
Of the 22 million passengers who flew out of Kolkata airport in the yr below overview, 19.1 million had been domestic and a pair of.8 million world. The busiest month was January when nearly 2 million passengers took flights out of Kolkata. August, in comparison, was the least busy with nearly 3,00,000 less passengers taking flights.
The have an effect on of the Jet Airways pullout will have had a more hostile affect on growth had no longer IndiGo Airlines added over two dozen flights all through the yr. However, the have an effect on will proceed to be felt in 2019-20 as neatly for the reason that Jet Airways operated over 11,000 flights and carried 1.5 million passengers during the yr. Unless the airline resumes operations in May and reconnects Kolkata, the airport's growth estimates will pass haywire.
Kolkata airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee though expects a strong growth with other carriers — IndiGo, GoAir, AirAsia India and Vistara — anticipated so as to add flights to Kolkata. While IndiGo may turn Kolkata into an international hub for flights to South-East Asia and China, other airways will increase their domestic network by way of connecting Kolkata to more than one cities.
“Given the growth projections, Kolkata airport will succeed in its capability of 24 million passengers a yr in 2019-20. The challenge shall be to handle the growth thereafter as any addition to the capability by the use of a 2nd phase of growth will take at least 3 years to execute. While that plan is on the drawing board, we are working on ways to extend ease of trip through Kolkata airport by way of ringng in numerous changes. Most of them will happen during the yr,” stated Bhattacharjee.
Among the facilities covered up are inline baggage X-ray at the domestic terminal, further bus boarding gates for flights in far flung bays and new safety check for domestic transfer. “All the facilities are intended for passenger convenience. The airport infrastructure and passenger needs are repeatedly being assessed,” the airport director stated.
The 2nd phase of growth so as to add a capability of 9 million passengers a yr to take the airport’s capability to 23 million is anticipated to be finalized a while this yr. On the anvil is the extension of the security cling area (SHA) in the domestic wing by way of razing the outdated domestic terminal. AAI is raring so as to add at least 10 aerobridges to take the depend to 24 for use by way of domestic flights. There are 4 more aerobridges for world flights.
There is an offer to extend the SHA in the world wing as neatly and add two more aerobridges if IndiGo turns Kolkata into an international hub.
Airport’s growth hits air pocket after Jet pullout
![Airport’s growth hits air pocket after Jet pullout]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
April 19, 2019
Rating:
