Airliners operating on the Srinagar route have decided to add 10 new flights in their new schedule, submitted to the central aviation regulator. It will take the total number of flights scheduled to Srinagar to almost 60.
An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said the new flights include several Delhi-Srinagar flights and flights from other cities of the country to Kashmir.
It may be mentioned that 38 to 44 flights were slotted in the winter schedule this year, which was effective till 26 March and the new summer schedule came into effect from 1 April.
However, the flight operations have been expanded with the addition of 10 more flights from 26 June, mostly aimed at catering tourist influx and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.
“We are happy to introduce additional flights. More Flights.. More Options.. More Passengers. Passenger is the King at our airport,” tweeted Director Srinagar Airport, Kuldeep Singh.
Srinagar airport handles more than 2.3 million passengers every year. The central government on 6 October last year declared the Srinagar International Airport as a ‘major airport’.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-Section (i) of Section 2 of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008 (No.27 of 2008), the Central Government hereby declares the airport at Srinagar as Major Airport,” said the gazettes notification issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
This move had come just weeks after Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Srinagar-Sharjah international flight.
Pertinently, Srinagar International Airport witnesses operations of almost 55 to 65 commercial flight arrivals every day during summers. As per AAI data, the annual footfalls of passengers at Srinagar is expected to increase from the current 3 million passengers to 5.2 million passengers per annum.
