Breathing life into ‘ghost airports’ of Tamil Nadu

With just one watchman to look after it, the Vellore airport is one among the many airports in the country, which has turned into a ‘ghost airport’. Featuring on AAI’s list of non-operational airports, the 5.15 acre airstrip, was re-started in July 2006. However, currently this is a non-operational airport.

Flying schools use the airstrip for pilot training purposes. As the present airstrip can only be used for small training flights (under Visual Flight Rules), it needs to be upgraded for operating bigger aircrafts.

AAI has submitted a master plan to the Tamil Nadu government for development and expansion of the airport and also sought acquiring of sufficient land from the government for the purpose, but it is yet to materialise.

"For the airport in Vellore, we projected how much land we need but it did not come through. Right now, the airport is not suitable for operations," says AAI regional executive director I. N. Murthy.

While more than Rs 50 million has already been spent on various airports across the country which do not get scheduled flights and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishing to boost the economic viabilty of these airports a lot remains to be done to bring these 'ghost airports' back from the dead. In Tamil Nadu, another such example is the Salem airport, where flight services began nearly two decades ago.

With regard to Salem airport, which also does not have any scheduled flights for itself, "We made a master plan and projected the land requirement for expanding the airport, but we are not getting the nod from state. Salem has all the facilities, suitable for ATR type aircraft, but nobody wants to operate, as they do not find it viable. We have made the airport suitable for aircraft like Boeing 750 and 7200 but since airlines operate purely on commercial principles they claim it is not viable. We do our own marketing but the airlines are simply not coming forward", added the regional director.

Meanwhile, J Selvakumar, airport director, Salem says, "We wish to operate other flights and have given land application as we are looking to acquire 571 acres. But it is still in process. Further, we are also planning to develop modern facilities, develop the cargo building among others. Right now only non-scheduled flights are operating," he says.

"We are planning to extend the runway, but land is required for it. Further, if we can provide the night landing facility, only then would airlines like to operate which we do not have now. Earlier Kingfisher was the only scheduled flight operation but then they too cancelled it."

This airport was handling commercial flights till 2012-13 by Kingfisher airlines, but operations were suspended due to low patronage. Flying schools and non-scheduled aircraft operate now. However, AAI is pursuing with regional scheduled airline operators to operate through Salem airport.

It may be recalled here that Kingfisher Airlines had introduced a daily service from Chennai to Salem in November 2009. However, in a little over two years, it was withdrawn. The last flight flew on August 4, 2011. The airline cited poor patronage for their move.

Another such airport is Puducherry where, nobody wanted to operate, but then finally after some incentives like underrating of seats it was managed, which resulted only one Air India flight flying from Bengaluru to Puducherry. Another factor is that roads too have also become a viable mode of commuting, so people tend to prefer roads.

Further many people in the state have been quoted saying these airports do not have proper patronage. To this, the regional director says, “ Patronage is decided by various factors depending on the demand. As for as AAI is concerned, based on the demand and availability of land, sufficient infrastructure with required facilities are created. Airlines makes their own assessment through survey and based on the demand of trade & industry deploy the type of aircraft suitable for operation at the airport.”

An executive of Air India says "Bengaluru to Puducherry flight is operational. However, when enquired about Salem and other airports it was said that those decisions are in the hands of the central planning board in Delhi."

Nripendra Kumar, floor manager, Indigo, says, "Indigo uses aircraft such as Airbus 320 - which is a large aircraft with a capacity of 180 seats. But then for tier-II destinations, we need to focus on ATR flights which are comparatively smaller than Airbus and Boeing. ATR flights have lower number of passenger capacity (more than 50 & less than 100 ).

"So might be in future that we can get smaller aircraft and reach out to those areas. Right now, we are having the large aircraft which can fly to larger cities and generate more revenue. ", he added.

Meanwhile, proposed incentives like a discount of 25 per cent on landing and parking charges on domestic airlines for additional flights for next two years and no parking charges for overnight parking for domestic airlines for next five years are also on the cards to lure airlines and passengers like. But what remains to be seen is whether these initiatives actually work out at ground level or like the one in Vellore other airports in the state too follow suit to become the 'ghost airports of TN'.