12/7/2018
PUNE: The wait
for a flight to a new international destination from Pune airport is
expected to end soon. Sources at the Pune airport told pune-news.com that a domestic airline
may soon start a flight to Singapore. With the service, the number of
international flights from Pune will go up to five.
“Although much details cannot be divulged, Pune airport will
very soon have a flight connecting with Singapore. Details are being worked
out,” said an airport official.
Sources at the airport said that Jet Airways was expected
to begin the flight. However, when contacted, a Jet Airways spokesperson
neither confirmed nor denied the information. “At this moment, no comments can
be made on the topic and we have nothing to share. Any due announcement on the
same will be made when the time comes,” the spokesperson stated. As of now,
Pune airport has just four flights heading to international destinations.
A senior official from an airline that currently operates an
international flight from Pune airport said that the city’s proximity with
Mumbai and the airport being a defence one, were some of the reasons why there
were fewer number of flights.
“Since it is a defence airport, there are many restrictions,
which results in flights getting delayed. Moreover, there is the issue of load
factor as well. In south India, there are many flights to places like Dubai,
Sharjah, Abu Dhabi. With Pune so close to Mumbai, the fares are such that
passengers prefer travelling from Mumbai,” the official said.
Sources said that more international flights were expected
once the new terminal of the facility is ready. “The new terminal building will
open a lot of avenues. However, one has to concentrate on increasing the length
of the runway of the airport and the work should be simultaneous. For bigger
aircraft to land, one needs a longer runway and apron area,” another AAI
official pointed out.
0 comments:
Post a Comment