More domestic air connectivity from Coimbatore airport

The Coimbatore Airport is all set to witness entry of two more domestic airliners within a month to operate services on the Coimbatore-Pondicherry and Coimbatore-Ahmedabad sectors. In the next phase, one of the airlines is planning to fly to Kochi and Agatti (Lakshadweep). An airline has plans for a connecting flight to Tirupati.

At present, there are five airlines - Go Air, Jet Airways, Indian, Paramount and Air Deccan - operating services to Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Mumbai and New Delhi. There are 17 aircraft movements a day (one movement includes both landing and take-off). Indian is also operating three services a week from Chennai to Sharjah via Coimbatore and Kochi.

Air Sahara has temporarily suspended its service to Hyderabad. In addition, SriLankan Airlines is operating a cargo freighter with 14 movements a week to Colombo.

The entry of low cost-no frill airlines has increased both the number flights and passenger traffic to and from Coimbatore considerably.

Airport Authority of India sources indicated that Jagson Airlines has expressed interest to operate a morning service on the Pondicherry-Coimbatore-Pondicherry sector.

The airliner is planning to deploy an 18-seater Dornier aircraft on this sector. The same airline will offer a connecting service to Tirupati from Pondicherry. Jagson has plans to operate services from Coimbatore to Kochi and Agatti in Lakshadweep in the next phase.

Similarly, Kingfisher Airlines had planned a service from Coimbatore to Ahmedabad from August 15. It is likely to begin some time in September, the sources say.

An international airline has already visited the airport to have a feel of the facilities here for starting operations to South East Asian destinations from Coimbatore.

The Airport Director (in charge), R.S. D'cruz confirmed that the two domestic airliners have given expression of interest. The airlines were complying with the procedural formalities and the services would start after a formal clearance from AAI authorities, he says.

The airport is fully equipped in terms of infrastructure and logistics to handle the growth in traffic.

Courtesy : The Hindu