Srinagar: After being grounded for the last few months due to less demand from travellers and then regulatory issues , Srinagar- Sharjah direct flight will resume operations from June 1, officials said.
The direct flight service, which was flagged off by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 23 last year, had witnessed several roadblocks.
First the denial of airspace from Pakistan followed by a sharp decrease in passenger occupancy in January this year, had derailed the flight operations of the direct service.
However, as per Director, Srinagar Airport, Kuldeep Singh resumption of direct international connection from Srinagar to Sharjah will begin from June 1.
“June 1st.. To Sharjah on Wed and Sat 9 pm from Sharjah on Thu and Sun 8:15 am (sic),” Tweeted Singh.
Meanwhile, the business community has welcomed resumption of the flight service. Former Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries President, Javid Tenga said people in general and the trade community in particular have been benefitted by the direct flight adding that apart from providing “the best possible route to this flight” there should be direct international flights connecting Srinagar to other overseas destinations.
“This will not just provide a boost to the travel community but those travelling to visit friends and relatives will also find it quite convenient to board this flight,” said Tenga.
As per the spokesman, “the resumption of this sector is poised to boost trade and tourism between J&K and the UAE,”. “UAE and Srinagar are popular holiday destinations and Go First flights will usher convenient travel options. These services will also support burgeoning trade and investment links between Srinagar and Sharjah.
GoFirst was also the first to sign the agreement with LULU Group of Dubai for the cargo movement from Srinagar to Sharjah. With the extra focus on the Srinagar market- Go First has the vision to make Srinagar a mini hub for international air travel and cargo,” the official said.
“Go First shares a special relation with the region and has had many firsts to its name in J&K. We are delighted to resume services between Srinagar and Sharjah, which could steer the economic growth of J&K. This connectivity will play a pivotal role in bilateral exchange trade and tourism between the two regions, ” said Kaushik Khona, Chief Executive Officer, GoFirst.