Srinagar: Airliners operating on Srinagar route have decided to add almost fifteen new flights in their summer schedule, submitted to the central aviation regulator. It will take the total number of flights scheduled to Srinagar to 55.
An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said the new flights include several Delhi-Srinagar flights and flights from other cities of the country to Kashmir.
It may be mentioned that 38 to 44 flights were slotted in the winter schedule this year, which was effective till March 26.
However, the summer schedule will now witness an increase of almost 15 flight arrivals, depending on how airline companies utelise the provided slots, the official said.
Srinagar airport which handles more than 2.3 million passengers every year. It may be mentioned that the central government on October 6 last year declared the Srinagar International Airport as a 'major airport'.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-Section (i) of Section 2 of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008 (No.27 of 2008), the Central Government hereby declares the airport at Srinagar as Major Airport," said the gazettes notification issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This move had come just weeks after Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Srinagar-Sharjah international flight.
Pertinently, Srinagar International Airport witnesses operations of almost 40 to 55 commercial flight arrivals every day during summers. As per AAI data, the annual footfalls of passengers at Srinagar is expected to increase from the current 3 million passengers to 5.2 million passengers per annum.
