With Air Asia airlines refusing to operate from CSIA in Mumbai due to high parking/landing charges, city airport likely to benefit.
With the proposed Air Asia airlines declining to operate from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) due to its high landing and parking charges, and Navi Mumbai airport still a distant dream; the Pune airport is trying to attract airlines towards it with attractive rebates and discounts.
The Pune airport is just a 3-hour drive from Mumbai.
However, aviation experts and industry insiders claim that this will not have much effect on the passenger movements at CSIA, as only those transiting from Mumbai to go to other neighbouring cities, might take up Pune airport.
“We are taking several steps to develop aviation in non-metro cities. Several measures are being taken to attract airline traffic to the smaller cities” said civil aviation ministry Ajit Singh, during a recently held industry conference.
01/04/13 Shahkar Abidi/Daily News & Analysis
