After 5-day turbulence, airlines & tourism sector eye summer succour
Times of India | 13 May 2025
Kolkata: Flights to four airports in north India — Srinagar, Chandigarh, Amritsar, and Hindon — from Kolkata airport that were temporarily suspended last week following the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan will gradually resume over the next couple of days with route controllers of different airlines poring over schedules to reinstate flights at the earliest.Airline sources said efforts were underway to get the IndiGo Airlines flight to Amritsar airborne by Tuesday evening. But the other flights would take longer. With a majority of passengers who were scheduled to fly on these sectors cancelling their tickets after the airports were shut last Thursday and hostilities with Pakistan escalated, officials of IndiGo and SpiceJetsaid multiple issues, including aircraft availability and minimum passenger load for operational viability, would determine how quickly the flights could be reinstated.The Airports Authority of India on Monday morning announced that the temporary closure of 32 airports had been lifted with immediate effect. The high alert at the airport, however, remains until further notification. Kolkata airport authorities said the operations were being restored in a phased manner."Airlines are assessing schedules and readiness, and services are expected to resume shortly. As per preliminary talks, flight movement is likely to resume from Tuesday. We advise all passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest updates on flight timings and the reopening of bookings, as this may vary by carrier," said a senior official of Kolkata airport. Once the flights are back, the airport also expects flyer count to revive. Since the Kashmir terror attack, footfall at the airport had dropped 12%.Sources in IndiGo said route controllers were working on aircraft schedules to reinstate flights at the earliest. SpiceJet also mentioned that efforts were underway to resume operations. The news lifted the spirits of the travel trade community. With summer holidays underway, many travel agents are hopeful the resumption of flights will provide an immediate impetus to travel. "We welcome the resumption of flight operations at all 32 affected airports. The safety of passengers and crew remains the top priority, and we appreciate the swift coordination by aviation authorities and all stakeholders," said Travel Agents Federation of India National Committee member Anil Punjabi.Travel Agents Association of India national committee member Manav Soni said: "The resumption of flights at these locations is expected to give a strong boost to regional economies, enhance mobility for citizens, and support critical sectors such as tourism, trade, and logistics. Airlines are steadily reintroducing routes and schedules, with safety remaining the top priority. This restoration also highlights the resilience of India's aviation infrastructure."