Visakhapatnam (VTZ) International Airport

[castlerock]

I think Vizag was planned and deesigned much before the new wave airports' plans were concieved.

[niknak]

Yeah. True. That's why it looks like a typical Indian airport. Same is the case with Nagpur airport.

[bobbie501]

Yes seems to be BTW any more pics which would be better how the Terminal is looking both Inside & Outside.But,One sad thing is that this current New Terminal cannot be extended more coz lack of Land availability.I would say this current new Terminal can serve the needs until 2015 I guess due to Increase in traffic from Vizag which is 50% an year.

[kool guy]

Operations from the new terminal building to be started from 20th March.

[kool guy]

New airport terminal to operate from March 27

Special Correspondent
It will be thrown open to domestic flights on Ugadi day
The terminal formally inaugurated by Chief Minister on Feb. 21

Cargo traffic operations will continue from old terminal building

VISAKHAPATNAM: Air travellers will have a new gift on the Telugu New Year Day.

Authorities at the Visakhapatnam airport are making arrangements for shifting all operations from the new terminal building from March 27, on which date Ugadi falls.

After prolonged delay, the Rs.95-crore terminal building was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on February 21.

A long-awaited facility for the air travellers, operations from this fully air-conditioned new terminal which has facilities for night landing and international flights, would be formally open to domestic flights from the Telugu New Year Day.

Air traffic
According to Director of Visakhapatnam Airport C. Pattabhi, all airlines operating here would be shifting their counters to the new terminal building.

Cargo traffic operations, however, would continue from the old terminal building.

On the air traffic, he said the monthly average continues to be about 48,000 passengers and it would be possible to reach the annual target of six lakh passengers this year.

Meanwhile, the Air Travellers Association (India), while welcoming shifting of operations to the new airport, said operations of Silk Air in the Singapore-Visakhapatnam-Singapore sector will commence shortly.

This would commence after a personal assessment of facilities, traffic potential etc by the Country Manager of Air Silk. According to president of the ATA D. Varada Reddy, there was a boycott by the travel agents of Singapore Airlines and Silk Air on the payment of commission and operations are likely to commence as soon as this issue was sorted out.

The ATA also appealed to international air travellers to use Chennai airport and avoid user development charge which is as much as Rs.1300 for all international passengers at Hyderabad airport. No UDC is collected from the passengers at the Chennai airport.

[kool guy]

Trial run of flights at new terminal from today

R. Jagadeeswara Rao
Full-fledged operations likely to start from Monday
Some clearances yet to come for full-fledged operations

Silk Airways evincing interest in operating international flights

VISAKHAPATNAM: The stage is set for the operation of flights from the newly-constructed modern air terminal complex from Friday. The operations, however be on trial basis. The trial operations, according to Director of Visakhapatnam Airport C. Pattabhi, would formally begin with the arrival of three flights on Friday evening. Jet Lite, Kingfisher and SpiceJet are three flights that would bring passengers to the new terminal.

Facilities
The Rs.95-crore new terminal building complex, which is describes as a mini replica of the modern airport at Singapore was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on February 21. Full-fledged operations at the new terminal building with night landing facilities are to commence from the Telugu New Year Day (Ugadi) which falls on Thursday. Facilities at the new terminal building include, reservation lounge for VIPs and CIPs (commercially important persons), restaurant and snack bar, child care room, duty free shop, bank, ATM, post office railway ticket counter and medical inspection room.

Enquiries, however, revealed that some clearances are yet come from higher authorities for full-fledged operations. The clearance, according to airport authorities, is expected anytime and full-fledged operations at the fully air conditioned new terminal building would commence from Monday. Air travellers from the coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari and even Krishna would have to go to Hyderabad for international flights. This the air travellers could avoid once international flight start arriving at the Visakhapatnam airport. According to the Air Travellers Association, airliners like Silk Airways is showing interest in starting their operations from the Visakhapatnam airport.

The number of air travellers remained steady at about 48,000 a month.

According to authorities, the old airport building would be used for handling cargo.

[great india]

International flights from Vizag next year?

VISAKHAPATNAM: The new airport terminal will have all the facilities soon and there is a prospect of international flights operating from early next year.

This was the response to the demand that the city be connected internationally to help NRIs fly in and their parents fly out directly at a feedback session conducted by Air Travellers’ Association (India) and its Vizag Chapter on Sunday evening. Air India Station Manager R. Rajasekharan said the airlines was offering ‘through’ fares and was flying from Visakhapatnam to Singapore via Chennai without any extra cost barring the airport tax.

President of ATAI D Varada Reddy, who presided, said that with a passenger potential of seven to eight lakhs in the Godavari and north coastal districts, Visakhpatnam would be the gateway for international travel for the region.

He said there was a demand for direct flights to places like Goa, Coimbatore, Mumbai, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

Silk Air had evinced interest in operating flights to Singapore but it could not materialise owing to delay in the new terminal getting ready.

Its officials were coming again later this month and if other conditions were conductive it was likely to make the promise good early next year.

Those flying directly from Visakhapatnam would also avoid the payment of development fee levied by private airports.

[Suncity]

photo copyright Rasika Edirisinghe

[bobbie501]

Nagendra

[ferrari_fan]

Oh dear - that looks terrible..

[sidney_jec]

may be if the landscaping is done in a proper way the airport would look a lil better..
but overall it could have been better..

[bobbie501]

[LaVogue]

thanks.

[su_hyd]

Here are some pictures of Vizag Airport from my recent visit.
I should say that Vizag Airport is not a photogenic one but when you see in person you will appreciate the quality of construction.

http://picasaweb.google.com/suppala/...Kqk5_3PsPj0YQ#

[ferrari_fan]

Cool pics - I actually quite liked the look of the airport after seeing your snaps.. Thanks..

[csperi78]

[csperi78]

[IndiansUnite]

Copyright uma.anil2009

[harsh1802]

Nice pics everyone. Not bad but i think Vizag deserves better.

[Fusionist]

yes this is a true cowshed standard airport I am afraid

The only consolation is, the Trichy airport is also poorly designed. So Vizag is not all alone in the uglyduckling list.

Howcome the planners simply chose such a design while one of the best looking airport ( ie. Hyderabad ) was comming up in the neighbourhood.