Growing airport loses its last link to the West

British Airways had withdrawn its Kolkata-London flights in 2008. Of the 17 international airlines that remain at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport,Qatar Airlines and Emirates fly to the Middle East while the rest operate between Kolkata and countries in South and Southeast Asia,such as Bangladesh,Maldives,Nepal,Bhutan,Singapore and Thailand.

“There has been an increase of 14 per cent passengers using the international terminal but to make flights economically viable,at least on long flights that go to Europe or America,you need to have business class passengers which you get very few here,” an Airports Authority of India official said. “A state-of-the art international terminal to offer services to airlines operating between Kolkata and a Middle East country or a South Asian or Southeast Asian country is not really a very economically bright idea.”

Kolkata is now the only international airport in any of the four metros to be left without a direct flight to Europe or the Americas. In the 1950s and and 1960s,apart from Lufthansa and British Airways,the airport also had flights of Pan Am,Aeroflot and KLM,besides Japan Airlines.

“Of course it is a reflection of the state of the state,” said Pawan Poddar,president of the Bharat Chamber of Commerce. “To get passengers you need to have a vibrant industry and tourism,which was neglected in the past. The new government has to be given time to develop these sectors.”

Lufthansa,which operated Kolkata flights three days a week,had in fact considered a daily service to make its flights economically viable,an AAI official said. “But they were not getting enough passengers for a daily flight. This is why they are suspending operations.”

“Lufthansa confirms that its thrice weekly direct flight between Kolkata and Frankfurt will be discontinued in the upcoming summer 2012 flight schedule,” the airline’s statement read. “With this measure,Lufthansa reacts to changing market demand on this route. Lufthansa will continue its sales activities in Kolkata. As soon as customer demand allows,the airline will bring back direct flights to Europe. The present Kolkata-Frankfurt service will remain available until 25 March,2012.”

Union minister Saugata Roy,chairman of the advisory committee for the airport,termed the development unfortunate. “It is an ominous sign for the airport which is expanding,” he said. “I really have no answer to the question on what do we do with an airport with much better facilities but not enough passengers.”

The international terminal,which handles about 15 lakh passengers a year,has a capacity for only 8.88 lakh. The Rs 20,000-crore modernisation plan has targeted about 40 lakh passengers. The new terminals are expected to be in operation by next June.