Pune: The 15 prime slots allocated to Pune airport last year may remain unused, even during the upcoming summer schedule starting from end-March, because of lack of required infrastructure, persisting problems with IndiGo — which has the highest number of flights, and the upcoming temporary runway closure in April.Aviation experts said local industry associations and the civil aviation ministry should take immediate cognisance and resolve the issue. The Indian Air Force (IAF) had provided the slots to the Airports Authority Of India (AAI) in June, last year.A source at the airport said the IAF would tentatively start work on the runway in April. The work would happen during the NOTAM period, so that regular flight movements were not affected.
“However, airlines have requested that the work be done later, since April is the start of the busy summer schedule. Starting new flights in the available slots is unlikely amid such developments.”Meanwhile, IndiGo continued to face problems. Three of their scheduled flights from Pune stand suspended. Also, the airline has curtailed over 700 slots in India, the official said. “The AAI has told other airlines to occupy the slots if they have an adequate number of pilots and crew. In Pune, too, over 70% of flights belong to IndiGo. If an airline with the largest share of flights is leaving slots, starting new flights will be difficult,” he added.The IndiGo spokesperson’s answer to whether any more flights would be dropped in Pune was awaited till the time of going to press.Sources said there was also the issue of infrastructure, since the limited number of parking bays amid a rise in the number of flights could create a chaos.
The transfer of 13 acres of land from the IAF to Pune airport was pending and it may take another year to construct five additional parking bays and three remote bays.Aviation expert and CEO of Avialaz Consultants Sanjay Lazar told TOI: “It is surprising no airlines have taken advantage of the new slots. Pune is the fastest-growing city in India and is the country’s GCC data centre and IT hub. It is starved of domestic and international flights to destinations like Singapore, the Middle East, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, etc.
The flight shortage also keeps air fares artificially high.”“Local industry organisations like MCCIA, NASSCOM, DCCIA and Credai should impress upon the govt and airlines to start more flights. It is time the aviation ministry takes cognisance and allots the available slots so that the city can better connect to the world,” Lazar added.Aviation analyst and expert Dhairyashil Vandekar told TOI: “The infrastructure constraints are aplenty like limited parking bays, availability of a single runway requiring periodic recarpeting, minimal slot increase in the winter schedule and IndiGo reportedly surrendering slots pan-India. Nonetheless, the 15 prime-time slots will help achieve full utilisation of the space, amid projected passenger growth of around 7% in 2026.
Urgent infrastructure upgrades and enhanced coordination among AAI, IAF and airlines are critical.”
