The daily passenger numbers at Kempegoweda International Airport (KIA) have dropped by a whopping 30,000 to hover around 70,000 as several international airlines cancelled or reduced their flights to Bengaluru due to Covid-19 outbreak.
In Chennai, cancellation of nearly 180 flights over the last week has had the same impact. Lack of patronage, strict travel restrictions in several countries and quarantine rules for all foreign arrivals have led to the cancellations.
This could get worse in the coming weeks, say airport sources. KIA sources told DH that airlines such as Cathay Pacific Dragon to Hong Kong, Thai Airways to Bangkok and Lufthansa to Frankfurt have reduced their frequencies to thrice a week. Singapore Airlines and Air France have also brought down their flight numbers. Depleting passenger numbers have also forced flight cancellations/reductions by Malaysian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, Air France, Gulf Air and Saudia. With IndiGo and GoAir too taking off flights from their international calendar, passenger traffic to and from almost all regions is showing a decline, the sources said. In the wake of the crisis, Japan Airlines has put off its Bengaluru-Tokyo flight launch from March 30 to July 1. Lufthansa too has postponed the launch of its Bengaluru-Munich flight to April 25.
18/03/20 Rasheed Kappan and ETB Sivapriyan/Deccan Herald
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In Chennai, cancellation of nearly 180 flights over the last week has had the same impact. Lack of patronage, strict travel restrictions in several countries and quarantine rules for all foreign arrivals have led to the cancellations.
This could get worse in the coming weeks, say airport sources. KIA sources told DH that airlines such as Cathay Pacific Dragon to Hong Kong, Thai Airways to Bangkok and Lufthansa to Frankfurt have reduced their frequencies to thrice a week. Singapore Airlines and Air France have also brought down their flight numbers. Depleting passenger numbers have also forced flight cancellations/reductions by Malaysian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, Air France, Gulf Air and Saudia. With IndiGo and GoAir too taking off flights from their international calendar, passenger traffic to and from almost all regions is showing a decline, the sources said. In the wake of the crisis, Japan Airlines has put off its Bengaluru-Tokyo flight launch from March 30 to July 1. Lufthansa too has postponed the launch of its Bengaluru-Munich flight to April 25.
18/03/20 Rasheed Kappan and ETB Sivapriyan/Deccan Herald
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