VISAKHAPATNAM: A dedicated cargo flight service proposed by SpiceJet from Vizag to Chennai and Kolkata could not start due to denial of slot to it by defence officials at the Vizag airport. The proposal for cargo service was made when SpiceJet top officials held consultations with Airports Authority of India (AAI) authorities to start the cargo service.
On January 25, a high-level delegation of SpiceJet airlines held discussions with AAI logistics general manager Muralidharan to facilitate introduction of dedicated cargo flights from Visakhapatnam. The airlines had then expressed its willingness to launch the services from the city as it has good potential for cargo operations.The airlines wanted to operate cargo service between Chennai-Vizag-Kolkota and Chennai-Vizag-Surat sector in the second or third week of February.
However, they could not start the service due to non-availability of slot sought by it at the airport.
Meanwhile, following a request by Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers’ Association (APATA) and Tour Travel Association of Andhra Pradesh (TTAAP), MP MVV Satyanarayana wrote a letter to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh seeking his help to solve problems with regard to increase number movement of flights at the airport.
Satyanarayana said the naval authorities restricted the flying of civilian aircraft in Vizag airport from 9 am to 12 noon and 6 pm to 9 pm. Currently, the city airport is able to handle 70 aircraft movements with 35 civil aircraft. Owing to restrictions and non-availability of convenient slots many airlines were diverting their flights to other airports. It will impact future needs of the city as the State government decided to make Vizag the executive capital.
“The airport posted a record growth in number of air travellers over the past four years and we expect a growth of over 100 per cent in air traffic once the executive capital gets operational. If the restrictions imposed by the naval authorities continue, the growth of Visakhapatnam is likely to suffer a major setback,” he said.
He said till a new civil airport was constructed at Bhogapuram, the present airport may be used to the fullest extent for civil aircraft operations. Steps should be taken for early completion of the parallel taxi track and commissioning of the N5 taxi track, he said. The MP is likely to meet the Union Defence Minister in Delhi during Parliament sessions.
The APATA and TTAAP representatives said in the absence of the dedicated cargo facility from Vizag, the local entrepreneurs will depend on belly cargo space, which is not meeting the demand.Aqua exports have suffered since live shrimp could not be delivered directly to Surat. Dedicated cargo services from the city is the only solution to the problems of entrepreneurs, they added.
Restrictions for civilian aircraft
Following a request by Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers’ Association and Tour Travel Association of Andhra Pradesh, MP MVV Satyanarayana has written a letter to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh seeking his help to solve problems with regard to increased number movement of flights at the airport. Satyanarayana said the naval authorities restricted the flying of civilian aircraft in Vizag airport from 9 am to 12 noon and 6 pm to 9 pm.