KOLKATA: A SpiceJet flight made history on Tuesday when it landed at Bagdogra airport at 7.30pm, the first time a civilian flight has operated to this crucial airport in north Bengal after sundown. The flight carried 48 passengers from Kolkata.
"This is a red letter day for not just Bagdogra airport but entire north Bengal," said airport manager KK Bhowmick who was at the airport to witness the historic moment.
Bagdogra airport being the gateway to the trading hub in Siliguri as well as transit points for tourists to both Darjeeling and Sikkim, introduction of evening services is expected to give a booster shot to the region.
Incidentally, the SpiceJet flight is in response to sops on aviation fuel offered by chief minister Mamata Banerjee to woo more flights to the state.
SpiceJet has proposed four new flights during the festive season in October. It currently operates three flights to the airport, two from Delhi and one from Kolkata.
While flight SG 941/942 connecting Bangalore to Bagdogra via Kolkata and SG 943/944 connecting Mumbai to Bagdogra via Kolkata began operations on Tuesday and will continue to fly till October 26, flights SG 951 and SG 955/956 connecting Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata will operate between October 7 and 26.
Apart from the increase in the number of flights, it is the early morning and late evening operations that are of particular significance. While the first flight into Bagdogra was is at 10.10am prior till Monsay, in the revised schedule, the first landing will be at 9.40am when the Bangalore-Kolkata-Bagdogra flight touches down. Similarly, the last flight will be at 9.30 pm when the Bagdogra-Kolkata-Bangalore flight takes off instead of 3.20pm.
From October 7, Bagdogra will have four flights beyond sunset hours, a curfew limitation imposed on civilian flights by Air Force till a couple of months ago.
Late flights have been a long-standing demand of passengers from the belt. "Now a person can travel to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore without wasting an entire day in transit," said Bhowmick.
"This is a red letter day for not just Bagdogra airport but entire north Bengal," said airport manager KK Bhowmick who was at the airport to witness the historic moment.
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| SpiceJet flight in Bagdogra airport |
Incidentally, the SpiceJet flight is in response to sops on aviation fuel offered by chief minister Mamata Banerjee to woo more flights to the state.
SpiceJet has proposed four new flights during the festive season in October. It currently operates three flights to the airport, two from Delhi and one from Kolkata.
While flight SG 941/942 connecting Bangalore to Bagdogra via Kolkata and SG 943/944 connecting Mumbai to Bagdogra via Kolkata began operations on Tuesday and will continue to fly till October 26, flights SG 951 and SG 955/956 connecting Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata will operate between October 7 and 26.
Apart from the increase in the number of flights, it is the early morning and late evening operations that are of particular significance. While the first flight into Bagdogra was is at 10.10am prior till Monsay, in the revised schedule, the first landing will be at 9.40am when the Bangalore-Kolkata-Bagdogra flight touches down. Similarly, the last flight will be at 9.30 pm when the Bagdogra-Kolkata-Bangalore flight takes off instead of 3.20pm.
From October 7, Bagdogra will have four flights beyond sunset hours, a curfew limitation imposed on civilian flights by Air Force till a couple of months ago.
Late flights have been a long-standing demand of passengers from the belt. "Now a person can travel to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore without wasting an entire day in transit," said Bhowmick.
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