Chennai: Chennai airport's annual passenger traffic may have touched the 20 million-mark, but in terms of growth percentage Kolkata has overtaken Chennai. Kolkata had 25% passenger growth last year becoming a gateway airport in the east and also attracts traffic from south east Asia headed to Delhi. Chennai had only 10% growth due to capacity constraints though the airport was expanded at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore in 2013.
1
Statistics show that Chennai's passenger traffic growth was slower than all major airports except Mumbai, an airport which is saturated, last year. Kolkata and Chennai were expanded simultaneously as part of the Airport's Authority of India plan to open modern airport in the two cities. However, Chennai has not been able to capitalise on the expansion because of constrains on the air side - runways, taxi way, apron - of the airport.
An official said that Kolkata which had always seen sluggish growth had performed well last year. "The annual passenger numbers is more than 19million. The airport has a good integrated terminal and space on the airside. This has helped the airport emerge as a hub for all small cities in North East.The airport will be able to cross the 20million passengers mark next year," He added.
Passenger movement has increased at Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi. Hyderabad showed 20% increase in passenger traffic last year though the total number of travellers still hover around 18million per year.
A senior official said that "Kolkata's growth may not have an impact on Chennai. But it has set an example of how an airport can be converted into a passenger-friendly facility. The airport has a better terminal than Chennai. Due to space constraints, the domestic and international terminals don't have depth. This limits the number of passengers handled at a time."
In terms of business, Chennai has lost to Bengaluru. The airport handled ....passengers last year. Due to absence of parking stands for planes and lack of rapid exit taxiway, airlines did not want to use Chennai as a hub andmoved to Bengaluru. Aviation experts also caution that unless AAI improves facilities at Chennai and offer incentives to airlines to fly, the airport would further loss out when Andhra open new airport at Amaravati, it's new capital.
22/05/18 Times of India
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
1
Statistics show that Chennai's passenger traffic growth was slower than all major airports except Mumbai, an airport which is saturated, last year. Kolkata and Chennai were expanded simultaneously as part of the Airport's Authority of India plan to open modern airport in the two cities. However, Chennai has not been able to capitalise on the expansion because of constrains on the air side - runways, taxi way, apron - of the airport.
An official said that Kolkata which had always seen sluggish growth had performed well last year. "The annual passenger numbers is more than 19million. The airport has a good integrated terminal and space on the airside. This has helped the airport emerge as a hub for all small cities in North East.The airport will be able to cross the 20million passengers mark next year," He added.
Passenger movement has increased at Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi. Hyderabad showed 20% increase in passenger traffic last year though the total number of travellers still hover around 18million per year.
A senior official said that "Kolkata's growth may not have an impact on Chennai. But it has set an example of how an airport can be converted into a passenger-friendly facility. The airport has a better terminal than Chennai. Due to space constraints, the domestic and international terminals don't have depth. This limits the number of passengers handled at a time."
In terms of business, Chennai has lost to Bengaluru. The airport handled ....passengers last year. Due to absence of parking stands for planes and lack of rapid exit taxiway, airlines did not want to use Chennai as a hub andmoved to Bengaluru. Aviation experts also caution that unless AAI improves facilities at Chennai and offer incentives to airlines to fly, the airport would further loss out when Andhra open new airport at Amaravati, it's new capital.
22/05/18 Times of India
0 comments:
Post a Comment