SRINAGAR: Srinagar airport is the third highest profit-making airport after Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Airport, Kolkata, and Pune airport for the Airport Authority of India (AAI) , a report of the Ministry of Civil Aviation has revealed.
Srinagar airport generated a profit of Rs 20.16 crore for AAI while Kolkata and Pune airports generated a profit of Rs 145.28 crore and Rs 39.13 crore, respectively. These details were been laid bare in the department-related parliament standing committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture.
According to the report, the Ministry of Civil Aviation told the parliamentary committee that there are only profit-making airports with AAI which maintains 133 airports across India. “As regards profitability of airports, the Ministry highlighted that there are 133 airports with AAI including JVC and PPP Airports. Out of 130 AAI airports (excluding 3 JVC airports), 9 airports operated by AAI are profit-making airports,” reads the report.
As per report, the profit-making airports include Behala, Jammu, Jamnagar, Kanpur Chakeri Flying Club, NSCBI Airport, Kolkata, Leh, Pune, Srinagar and Darbhanga. Jammu and Leh airports have respectively generated a profit of Rs 0.09 crore and Rs 2.82 crore.
After enquiring about reasons for less number of airports making profits, the parliamentary panel said that it agrees with the fact that an airport in general becomes profitable when adequate traffic flows from the airport.
“The committee feels that the Ministry should work towards increasing the share of air transport for cargo movement as the same would help generate revenue for the airports. AAI should also work with airlines to attract new routes and increase frequency on existing routes to attract maximum passengers,” the committee said—(KNO)
