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Silk Air is ready and willing to operate a direct flight from here to Singapore from October 1, it is learnt. But there is a hitch, it becomes possible only if flights can be operated at the airport round-the-clock, something which has been eluding the airport for the past few years, even though the infrastructure is ready.
There seems to be no co-ordinated effort among the various Ministries in the Government of India and the decision is inordinately delayed.
There is a possibility Silk Air may reconsider its decision on the flight to Singapore, and it could badly mar the image of the airport. Other operators too may shy away from Vizag.
International carriers have to place information about the schedule of proposed operations and provide reservation facilities. The flight schedule has to be placed on the Web site and information passed on to international airports, say sources.
The government has to clear 24-hour flights at Vizag, now that Silk Air has already given its consent to operate direct flights from Visakhapatnam to Singapore thrice a week.
It has announced that the flight will leave Singapore at 8.20 p.m. (Singapore local time) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and reach Vizag at 10.05 p.m. (IST). The journey time is four hours. In the return direction, the flight will leave Vizag at 10.55 p.m. to reach in the early hours on the following day.
The Union Defence Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, had approved the demand for introduction of 24-hour operations, and the file was sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval early this month. The Finance Ministry has rejected the proposal for increasing the manpower on the plea of lack of funds.
The Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Ms D. Purandeswari has taken up the issue with the Union Minister for Civil Aviation and the Prime Minister and is hopeful of getting a positive response, according to Mr O. Naresh Kumar, the representative of Visakhapatnam Air Travellers Association.
“We are hopeful that the Navy, which mans the air traffic control, will come out with an alternative solution to tide over the crisis pending sanction of additional manpower,” the Airport Director, Mr K. Srinivasa Rao, said.
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