Belagavi airport second busiest in Karnataka

The airport in Belagavi has become the second busiest airport in the state after the resumption of domestic flights with travel restrictions being eased during the lockdown period. Since the resumption of flights 25,300 commuters footfall has been witnessed with 855 operations being conducted.

The airport has witnessed flight services blooming and also being stopped for various reasons earlier. Since the airport was renovated and expanded, commuters on various routes have patronized the airport and flights with satisfactory occupancy had been operating prior to the lockdown in the month of March last for preventing the spread of Covid-19. Flights operating were in Udan-3 and non-Udan routes too.

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Flight services resumed on May 25, after the lockdown norms were relaxed and domestic flights were allowed to commute in the country. From May 25 to31, 26 operations were conducted and 445 passengers commuted. Since than flights on different routes have commenced and by end of July 31, the 68-day period airport witnessed 855 operations and 25,300 commuters using the services.

Airport Director Rajesh Kumar Mourya told DH that he has not compared the passenger and operations data with other airports in the state and country, but there has been considerable growth in operations and passenger footfall since the resumption of flight services on May 25.

He said that the period of May 25 to 31, witnessed 26 operations and 445 passengers, while June month witnessed 386 operations and 10,350 passenger movement. The month of July that ended on Friday witnessed 443 operations and 14,500 passenger movement. From May 25 to July 31, 68 days have witnessed 855 operations and 25,300 passenger movement.

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Presently flights to the city were connected with Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Indore, Mysuru and Ahmedabad. We expect commencement of flights on other routes soon, Mourya expressed.

Each flight has witnessed an average occupancy of 33 passengers with small flights being operated from the city, he stated.