SRINAGAR: Despite an enthusiastic start, international flights at Srinagar airport have failed to take off for the past year.
In October 2021, the government initiated international airline operations at Srinagar International Airport to re-establish direct aviation service between the UAE and the Kashmir valley.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Srinagar-Sharjah Go First flight at the airport.
However, the flight service came to a halt on March 27, 2022, when the airline filed for bankruptcy before the National Company Law Tribunal.
According to a document accessed by the news agency KNO, the aviation ministry has cited the economic viability of the route and other associated factors as the main reasons behind the non-operation of international flights.
“Earlier, Go First used to operate international services on the Srinagar-Sharjah sector, which were later discontinued by the airline in 2022. Indian designated carriers are free to mount scheduled operations to and fro any international airport, including Srinagar International Airport, to foreign destinations under the ambit of bilateral Air Service Agreements concluded by India with foreign countries,” it said.
The aviation ministry in the document stated that Indian designated carriers are free to mount scheduled operations to and fro any international airport, including Srinagar International Airport, to foreign destinations “under the ambit of bilateral Air Service Agreements concluded by India with foreign countries.”
The ministry clarified that the initiation of international flights from any point in India is purely a ‘commercial decision made by scheduled airlines.’
Director of Srinagar airport, Javed Anjum, told KNO that the flight service couldn’t operate due to the fall in the number of passengers.
“Passenger availability was a major concern for the airline. No flight will operate without passengers or just with a few passengers on board,” he said.
Meanwhile, locals and travel trade stakeholders said the direct Srinagar-Sharjah flight would have brought respite to the people, especially traders who are frequent travellers.
“Srinagar International Airport would live up to its name if international flights operated at the airport. The direct Srinagar- Sharjah flight has brought much respite to the traders, who frequently travel to Dubai. We would have even received tourists from the Gulf in many numbers if the service continued,” said Basharat Ahmad, a trader. (KNO)
