Date:15/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121554251400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Drop in air travellers from Visakhapatnam

R. Jagadeeswara Rao

Factors include economic meltdown, high costs and Mumbai attacks

Long distance to airport a negative factor
Airlines reducing number of flights to city

VISAKHAPATNAM : The number of air travellers from Visakhapatnam has substantially come down, thanks to a number of factors which, among others, included economic meltdown, Mumbai blasts, high costs and availability of cheaper alternatives.

According to authorities the number of travellers at the airport has come down from about 52,000 in October to around 43,000 in November. Going by the present trend it is likely to decrease further this month. This would result in airliners reducing the number of flights. According to sources, some airlines have already done this.

Foreign tourists, IT professional, NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), real estate businessmen constituted the major chunk of air travellers.

According to airport authorities, number of foreign travellers has come down considerably after the Mumabi blast.

The present slump in real estate has similar effect on businessmen in this field.

According to the president of the Air Travellers Association (India), D.Varada Reddy, the number of families boarding airlines for Visakhapatnam used to be 15 to 30 every day. This has come down to single digits thanks to steep hike in air fare. It was as much as Rs. 3000 for long distances. Recently the fare had been reduced by Rs.1250, but according to Mr. Reddy, this was not enough. It should be reduced further to attract passengers back to air travel. Congestion charges and user development charges should also be withdrawn. When the number of travellers is decreasing where is the question of congestion?

‘Garib rath’ impact

According some passengers, long distance to reach airport is another factor that makes travellers shy away from air travel. In Visakhapatnam, one has to travel at least 20 km to reach the airport. Similarly a persons going to Hyderabad has to cover a distance of at least 30 km to reach the city. Introduction of new trains like the ‘garib rath’ has also its impact on air travellers.

Right from its introduction one and a half months back, the demand for tickets in garib rath had been going up and the waiting list is getting longer.

This, according to some, is an indication of preference for alternative modes of travel.

Temporary phase

Things are likely to improve by March next, when there would be reversal of recession and other factors that had an adverse impact on air travel, according to airport authorities as also the ATA.