The Hindu Business Line : Air traffic set to take off in Mangalore

With the investments plans of petrochem and IT majors set to boost traffic at Mangalore airport, there is an urgent need for expanding and upgrading facilities. If the airport is allowed to operate international flights, it can also attract chartered flights as, lying between Goa and Kerala, it is ideally situated on the tourist map.

AIR TRAFFIC in Mangalore is set for growth in the coming years with the region attracting large-scale investments in various new sectors. Industry observers in Mangalore feel that the mega investment plans of major players in petro-chemical and information technology sectors will definitely boost traffic at the Mangalore airport.

In a memorandum of understanding with the Karnataka Government last year, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation had promised to invest around Rs 21,000 crore in petro-chemical projects at the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Apart from this, the Karnataka Government is now contemplating to form another SEZ, exclusively for IT sector, in the city.

The movement of commercial aircraft, which stood at 2,884 during 1995-96, reached 3,279 during 2004-05. With the present schedule of commercial aircraft, the number is likely to cross 3,650 this fiscal. Based on the present trend in traffic, civil aviation experts feel that the number of commercial aircraft movement may reach 6,025 by 2009-10. This includes international flight movements.

Now, Mangalore airport has only domestic status. Three operators offer regular air service from Mangalore airport. Jet Airways, which is the major operator, offers two daily flights on the Mumbai-Mangalore route and one daily service on the Bangalore-Mangalore sector.

On both these routes, it uses ATR-72 aircraft. Alliance Airlines — a subsidiary of Indian Airlines — offers a daily flight to Mumbai (Boeing 737-200). Air Deccan operates a daily flight to Bangalore on an ATR 72 aircraft.

There is demand for direct flights to Chennai, Delhi and Hyderabad. Most non-resident Indians (NRIs) from West Asia also like to fly directly to their destinations from Mangalore.

Added to this, there is also a seasonal market for international flights during the admissions to various educational institutions in Manipal and Mangalore. Manipal, which is around 60 km from Mangalore, attracts a huge number of foreign and NRI students for various professional courses.

Even Mangalore has quite a few professional education institutions. The segment of passengers now depends on other airports. All the flights operate between 11 a.m. and 2 p., and the watch hours of air traffic control (ATC) at the airport are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

This means that the airport can provide ATC service to airlines till 4 p.m. But airlines have to make use of this slot and seek permission to operate.

Though members of trade and industry in Mangalore, under the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries, have written to various airline operators and civil aviation authorities to increase the number of flights from Mangalore, their efforts have not yet yielded results.

With the current pace of work on the expansion of Mangalore airport, the second runway — which can accommodate bigger aircraft — is likely to be completed by April 2006.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) also plans to construct another terminal at the airport.

In spite of all these factors, there is a hitch. With the extant infrastructure, the airport cannot provide night-landing facility. But the authorities concerned can tackle these issues in course of time, as provision of night-landing facility is part of the airport expansion project. Night-landing facility at the airport will certainly add to its traffic. At present, many people on a day's business visit to Mangalore have to stay back due to lack of a flight in the evening. The night-landing facility will clear this problem.

The AAI can also think of effectively using the four parking bays at the airport during night. If airline operators are given a chance to use these bays, early morning flights to important destinations such as Bangalore and Mumbai can be operated from Mangalore.

If the airport is allowed to operate international flights, it can attract chartered flights also.

Though a good number of chartered flights bring tourists to Kerala and Goa, they do not call at Mangalore. Mangalore, which lies between Goa and Kerala, is well poised for growth in tourism sector.

Chartered flight movements may further increase the volume of air traffic and develop the tourism sector also.

In such a situation, it is now time for the airline operators to exploit the potential of Mangalore airport to increase their revenue.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Air traffic set to take off in Mangalore

Air Arabia plans more flights to Mumbai

Spicejet okays preferential issue

Port stocks of vegoil barely adequate

KCCI chief on NMPT board

Kolkata port handles record throughput

Concor's major wagon acquisition plan — To spend up to Rs 1,500 cr over five years

ICD with little traffic

Secunderabad-Chennai special train