VISAKHAPATNAM: The red eye flight from Visakhapatnam to Pune is back with the airlines resuming its service. The non-stop flight from Visakhapatnam to Pune will begin on Tuesday.The red eye flight operated by Indigo will operate from Vizag three days in a week -- Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The flight arrives at Vizag airport from Pune at 1.30 am and leaves at 2.30 am. The Indigo service was the first red eye flight launched in the summer schedule in March from Vizag. The airlines had suspended the service after two months.
Meanwhile, the passenger footfall at Vizag airport has almost been steady for the last two months, but it is yet to reach pre-Covid situation, according to airport director K Srinivasa Rao. Speaking to TNIE, he said after second wave of the pandemic, the passenger footfall touched 2.5 lakh in December last. But owing to Omicron, there was fall in February and March.
However, in July and August, it crossed the 2 lakh mark. Again in September, the footfalls were below two lakh mark and on an average 6000 to 7000 footfall is being registered every day. Since there is no much demand from airlines, there may not be many new flights in the winter schedule which will be announced later in this month.
He said it might take at least one year to reach the pre-Covid situation with regard to air traffic in terms of passengers and flight movements. Most of the air travellers visit the city for business conferences and meetings. But post the pandemic, most of the meetings are held in hybrid mode and this has an impact on passenger footfall at the Vizag airport, he said.
With regard to availability of slots for airlines, he said there is no shortage of slots at the airport. Whenever there is a demand for a slot from airlines, the airport officials are referring it to Navy officials who are allotting the slots. At present no airline was denied slots at the airport, he said. However, allotment of slots is made by the Navy after meeting its requirement.