Empty runways

British Airways has chosen to fly over Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s nest. Calcutta’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is not the favoured destination of most international airlines. Compared to Delhi, Mumbai or even Bangalore, the international airport in Calcutta has very few flights. BA’s decision to withdraw its flights to London from March 2009 further reduces this number. It will be recalled that sometime back, India’s flagship carrier, Air India, also withdrew its Calcutta-London flight. Passengers from Calcutta intending to travel to London can no longer do so directly; they have to change in another airport either within India or abroad. This rather diminishes the importance of Calcutta, however unpleasant this truth may sound. At a time when the global economy is in a crisis, BA has good business reasons to curtail operations in sectors that do not fetch the company adequate returns. Therefore, from the point of view of the airline, the decision may be entirely justified. This, however, cannot sweeten the pill for Calcutta and those who travel abroad from the city.
The global economic condition may not be the sole cause that determined BA’s decision to withdraw, and of the decision of other airlines not to touch down in Calcutta. In terms of business and opportunities, Calcutta has very little to offer to airlines.
11/11/08 The Telegraph

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Categories: Airports Nov 2008