Kolkata (CCU) | Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport

[abhipinak]

"PPP Model"

That would be good news... i didnt know that there was problems with installation of Aero bridges and the permission to install all of them have just been provided as the reported informs... No matter what happens.. people have to be very lucky to have the terminal ready by pujas.... unless some miracle happens...

[NiladriG]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com//...w/12944481.cms

The city is going to get the much-deserved state-of-the-art airport by the Pujas, chief minister Mamata Banerjee promised on Monday.

The chief minister said this after a meeting with civil aviation minister Ajit Singh, who inspected the new terminal building and held discussions with senior officials. Later, he told reporters that work would be completed in two to four months.

"I also spoke to the chief minister about the airport in Cooch Behar and the proposed ones in Malda and a couple of other locations. Bengal has tremendous tourism potential that can be tapped by setting up heliports. The number of people using Kolkata airport will go up to 4 million (from 1 million now) after the modernization is completed. It can well turn into a hub for the entire southeast Asian region. With an investment of Rs 200,000 crore, there will also be a tremendous boost to employment," Singh said.

He, however, admitted that the ambitious airport city project at Andal - which has hit a brickwall following objections from the coal ministry - may take some more time to become operational.

Mamata, too, mentioned of the Rs 200,000-crore investment, but officials involved in the modernization work are not so sure about the figure. One of them said the investment was around Rs 2,350 crore, which was expected to go up to Rs 2,500 crore. "Maybe, they were talking about the total investment in the aviation sector," the person added.

Mamata was pleased with the civil aviation minister for taking up two issues close to her heart -development of the state through employment generation and giving tourism a boost. The CM and the civil aviation minister also discussed about bringing more international flights to Kolkata.

"We discussed the progress of Kolkata airport," Mamata said. "Work is progressing very fast and it will become operational before the Pujas. For the expansion of Cooch Behar airport, a culvert needs to be removed. I have asked for some money from the Planning Commission for this. To develop an airport at Malda, some railway land will have to be taken over. The civil aviation minister has also agreed to our plans for introducing helicopter services. We want to operate such services in Balurghat, Asansol/Durgapur, Darjeeling/Mirik, Haldia, Digha and the Sunderbans. This will provide a lot of employment in the state.

But It was clear that the discussions between Mamata and Singh went well beyond airport revamp and proposals to boost tourism and generate employment. "Yes, we did discuss some political issues," Singh, who is chief of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), said after the meeting. Though he didn't elaborate, sources said they also discussed issued related to Presidential election.

[NiladriG]

http://www.telegraphindia.com/112050...15439160.jsp#1

Air India will operate an additional flight to Bagdogra from the city every Friday from May 4 to June 15 to meet passenger rush during summer holidays. This will be in addition to the existing four-days-a-week Airbus service to Bagdogra. The flight will take off from Calcutta at 1pm and reach Bagdogra at 2pm every Friday. The return flight will leave Bagdogra at 2.40pm and reach the city at 3.35pm. ir India will also fly more frequently to Myanmar. The airline will operate a second weekly direct flight on Fridays on the Calcutta-Yangon-Calcutta sector from May. The airline currently operates a flight to Yangon on Mondays.

[NiladriG]

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-n...ourism/943883/


The new terminal building of the NSC Bose International Airport, which will be commissioned within four months, will help promote tourism and generate employment, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said after meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday.
“Expansion of the aviation sector will require land. Modernisation of Netaji Subhas Airport in Kolkata will not only be important for eastern India, but it will be also the gateway to southeast Asia,” he said.

He said they discussed certain political issues without getting into the details but assured that FDI (foreign direct investment) in the sector was not discussed.

“At the moment, the Kolkata airport caters to 10 lakh commuters annually and the target is to serve 40 lakh people,” he said. He also said there were plans to upgrade the Coochbehar and Malda airports along with speeding up the airport project in Durgapur.

Banerjee said the Kolkata airport work will be completed by the Pujas. “Talks are on with the planning commission about the Coochbehar airport and there had been some problem with a culvert. It is being looked into and hopefully would soon be solved. In Malda, there is a land belonging to the Railways. We are in discussion with the Railway ministry to work that out,” she said and added that the government was also trying for helicopter connectivity in Balurghat, Sunderban, Mirik, Haldia and Digha.

It was also learnt that the government would try for a daily flight to Siliguri to improve upon the present set-up of three days a week. “We are also trying for night service to Bagdogra and more international flights from Kolkata,” the CM said.

[raj145_91]

Why the hell does every article mention 1million and 4million?? They should specify if they are talking about the international sector. Kol airport handled a total of 1crore plus passengers in 2011-2012.

[killerk]

Originally Posted by NiladriG

Etihad, I feel has missed the bus with Emirates and Qatar doing well and Qatar looking for expansion.

Etihad has just been in business since 2003....most of UAE's traffic rights have been exhausted by Emirates and Air Arabia..unless and until the Indian Govt. is lavish with traffic rights (or an almost impossible case of moving to open sky policy), don't expect Etihad to fly to Kolkata...!!! Given the bureaucracy and red-tapism in India and since they are still familiarizing themselves with the Indian concept of Jugaad, I would expect them to fly to Timbuktu, Mali before Kolkata!!

Besides they need more aircrafts even for their immediate expansion plans...their new routes are announced based on Boeing's and Airbus's delivery dates!!

[NiladriG]

Originally Posted by killerk

Etihad has just been in business since 2003....most of UAE's traffic rights have been exhausted by Emirates and Air Arabia..unless and until the Indian Govt. is lavish with traffic rights (or an almost impossible case of moving to open sky policy), don't expect Etihad to fly to Kolkata...!!! Given the bureaucracy and red-tapism in India and since they are still familiarizing themselves with the Indian concept of Jugaad, I would expect them to fly to Timbuktu, Mali before Kolkata!!

Besides they need more aircrafts even for their immediate expansion plans...their new routes are announced based on Boeing's and Airbus's delivery dates!!

I believe Etihad has already acquired flying rights to CCU. They are just dilly dallying and wasting the opportunity.

http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/E...sListing=false

[sidney_jec]

am pretty sure if there was an opportunity they (Etihad) would have encashed it already. There's obviously a lack of pax from CCU and thats why the major airlines pull out or dont start services from the city. This is true even for the high employment generating cities like Hyderabad too.

[shree711]

How its Kolkata even a gateway to south easy asia? Firstly, it isn't in south east asia. Secondly, KUL, BKK and SIN and maybe CGK are. Lastly, Kolkata's passenger traffic is too low to be a gateway.

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by shree711

How its Kolkata even a gateway to south easy asia? Firstly, it isn't in south east asia. Secondly, KUL, BKK and SIN and maybe CGK are. Lastly, Kolkata's passenger traffic is too low to be a gateway.

That's the officialspeak - to make Kolkata the gateway to SE Asia for Indian pax.

[Global Citizen62]

Originally Posted by shree711

How its Kolkata even a gateway to south easy asia? Firstly, it isn't in south east asia. Secondly, KUL, BKK and SIN and maybe CGK are. Lastly, Kolkata's passenger traffic is too low to be a gateway.

That is from India's perspective. Indian Government wants Kolkata to be the gateway for Indians leaving for South East Asia as well as South East Asians entering India. It also wants the neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and too some extent Bangladesh (they may have better connectivity now to SE Asia than Kolkata) to use Kolkata as a preferred passenger and cargo transit point for connectivity with SE Asia and East in general. There is nothing wrong with that thought process. If implemented properly that should boost the economy of West Bengal and states around West Bengal

[NiladriG]

One of the reasons for low international traffic at CCU is due to many passengers transiting at BOM and DEL. That's the reason domestic traffic keeps increasing steadily while int traffic growth is slow.

[Chuckles960]

Originally Posted by NiladriG

One of the reasons for low international traffic at CCU is due to many passengers transiting at BOM and DEL. That's the reason domestic traffic keeps increasing steadily while int traffic growth is slow.

One extra transfer adds at 5-10 hours to any trip, between the time on the ground and the extra flying time associated with landing and taking off.

Even though DEL has improved dramatically, if it's between flying via DEL and not flying via DEL, to me the choice is clear. Of course many people don't care about the extra flying time. There are many more choices via DEL, and maybe this competition means reduced fares. (LH, and before that BA, charged high fares out of CCU and still couldn't make enough money.)

Years ago one had to accept that flying to CCU from the US meant at least two plane changes and spending the wee hours of the morning in BOM or DEL. Then came KLM; then BA; then LH. All these options are now gone. From my admittedly narrow point of view, it's like we've gone back in time.

The reason I was interested in EY (Etihad) coming to CCU is that I live in Chicago, and EK/QR don't fly to Chicago while EY does. So there is no particular advantage; for any of these three airlines, two changes are required.

[NiladriG]

Originally Posted by Chuckles960

One extra transfer adds at 5-10 hours to any trip, between the time on the ground and the extra flying time associated with landing and taking off.

Even though DEL has improved dramatically, if it's between flying via DEL and not flying via DEL, to me the choice is clear. Of course many people don't care about the extra flying time. There are many more choices via DEL, and maybe this competition means reduced fares. (LH, and before that BA, charged high fares out of CCU and still couldn't make enough money.)

Years ago one had to accept that flying to CCU from the US meant at least two plane changes and spending the wee hours of the morning in BOM or DEL. Then came KLM; then BA; then LH. All these options are now gone. From my admittedly narrow point of view, it's like we've gone back in time.

The reason I was interested in EY (Etihad) coming to CCU is that I live in Chicago, and EK/QR don't fly to Chicago while EY does. So there is no particular advantage; for any of these three airlines, two changes are required.

Well, people would spend few hours more at the airports rather than spend few more bucks. There are more low fare deals from BOM and DEL. I hope the new terminal will be a new beginning for the international sector at CCU.

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by Chuckles960

One extra transfer adds at 5-10 hours to any trip, between the time on the ground and the extra flying time associated with landing and taking off.

Even though DEL has improved dramatically, if it's between flying via DEL and not flying via DEL, to me the choice is clear. Of course many people don't care about the extra flying time. There are many more choices via DEL, and maybe this competition means reduced fares. (LH, and before that BA, charged high fares out of CCU and still couldn't make enough money.)

Years ago one had to accept that flying to CCU from the US meant at least two plane changes and spending the wee hours of the morning in BOM or DEL. Then came KLM; then BA; then LH. All these options are now gone. From my admittedly narrow point of view, it's like we've gone back in time.

The reason I was interested in EY (Etihad) coming to CCU is that I live in Chicago, and EK/QR don't fly to Chicago while EY does. So there is no particular advantage; for any of these three airlines, two changes are required.

Isn't there a Chicago Delhi Air India nonstop nowadays connecting to Del Kolkata?

It is better to fly one stop via Delhi than through a ME country unless fares are much cheaper. The nonstop flying time to ME or to Delhi is nearly the same and thus the level of discomfort in economy class is same (unless of course you travel J or F). Also Kolkata is just a two hour flt from Delhi.


Total time: 19hr 10min

Air India 126
7,466 mi, 15hr 10min
1:30 PM Chicago, IL , United States O'Hare Airport (ORD) Terminal 5
3:10 PM New Delhi , India, Indira Gandhi Intl (DEL) Terminal 3

Change of planes. Time between flights: 1hr 50min .

Air India 764
815 mi, 2hr 10min
5:00 PM New Delhi , India' Indira Gandhi Intl (DEL) Terminal 3
7:10 PM Kolkata , India, Netaji Subhas Chandra (CCU)

[Chuckles960]

Originally Posted by Suncity

Isn't there a Chicago Delhi Air India nonstop nowadays connecting to Del Kolkata?

Good point. This is the only one-stop option left.

But I don't want to hijack this thread, which is about Kolkata airport. My specific needs aside, I'd love to see more international airlines flying to CCU.

Unfortunately, I don't think it is true that "if you build it, they will come". The passenger situation will not change because of the new terminal. I doubt that BA and LH left primarily because we had an international terminal better suited to a small town in Uganda. They left only because they couldn't make enough money.

[mountaincloud]

Originally Posted by Chuckles960

Good point. This is the only one-stop option left.

But I don't want to hijack this thread, which is about Kolkata airport. My specific needs aside, I'd love to see more international airlines flying to CCU.

Unfortunately, I don't think it is true that "if you build it, they will come". The passenger situation will not change because of the new terminal. I doubt that BA and LH left primarily because we had an international terminal better suited to a small town in Uganda. They left only because they couldn't make enough money.

i would say the economic base influences the airport and the quality of the airport, in turn, influences the economic base. the degree of influence may be different and there may be a lag as well.

[shuvro]

Originally Posted by mountaincloud

i would say the economic base influences the airport and the quality of the airport, in turn, influences the economic base. the degree of influence may be different and there may be a lag as well.

At the end of the day, it is all about business. The new CCU will only do well if the whole package improves - if Infosys is not turned away, if FDI is allowed and if Hilarydi turns a kindly eye etc. An airport cannot do well if there is no business.

[Kunal Gupta]

With the new terminal in place and much lower traffic as compared to DEL or BOM it is possible that international airlines may think of using CCU as a transit point just like JET uses Brussels(or at a later date Munich). However, this will come to play only when new infrastructure really catches the imagination of international airlines. Till that time we have to be happy with possible Flydubais & Bangkok Airways of the world operating LCC flights within Asia.
The other option is JET or INDIGO using it as a hub getting passengers from DAC or KTM and then flying them to middle east or far east.
Let us appreciate without industrial development quality airlines serving CCU will remain a dream.

[himmat113]

Originally Posted by Kunal Gupta

With the new terminal in place and much lower traffic as compared to DEL or BOM it is possible that international airlines may think of using CCU as a transit point just like JET uses Brussels(or at a later date Munich). However, this will come to play only when new infrastructure really catches the imagination of international airlines. Till that time we have to be happy with possible Flydubais & Bangkok Airways of the world operating LCC flights within Asia.
The other option is JET or INDIGO using it as a hub getting passengers from DAC or KTM and then flying them to middle east or far east.
Let us appreciate without industrial development quality airlines serving CCU will remain a dream.

Which international airlines can possibly use CCU as hub? I can't think of any. BRU type hub is not possible in CCU. European Airlines fly non stop to destinations in SE Asia, Japan and Korea. Similarly Asian Airlines fly non-stop to Europe.

Totally agree you with you about the industrial development part.