Andhra eagerly awaits more international flights

Scoot Airlines revived flights from Visakhapatnam to Singapore. Air India Express launched twice-a-week connectivity from Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada to Sharjah. Negotiations are being held with flight operators to introduce flights from Vizag and Vijayawada to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Dubai and other popular destinations

Visakhapatnam: The introduction of two flights, from Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada to international destinations within a span of less than a year, has raised hopes among travel operators and tourists. They anticipate more flights to take off in the coming months to various countries.

Imposition of Covid-19 restrictions led to suspension of flight services which were revived slowly with the effective management of the pandemic situation after rolling out of vaccines. Visakhapatnam International Airport has direct connectivity to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and via Hyderabad to Dubai and Chicago before the flights were withdrawn.

After withdrawal of viability gap funding in 2018, lone flight from Vijayawada to Singapore was withdrawn. As the situation improved, Scoot Airlines revived flights from Visakhapatnam to Singapore. Air India Express on Monday launched twice-a-week connectivity from Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada to Sharjah.

"We are expecting more flights from both the cities as people both businessmen and leisure tourists are keen on going abroad for holidaying and meeting their near and dear," Machilipatnam MP Balashory Vallabhaneni and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas said.

Airport Advisory Committee member and President of Tours and Travel Association K Vijay Mohan told Bizz Buzz that negotiations are being held with flight operators to introduce flights from Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Dubai and other popular destinations.

Construction of an additional terminal at Visakhapatnam Airport was recently completed by Airport Authority of India at a cost of Rs 60 crore creating a space of 10,000 sq meters in addition to existing 20,000 sq meters.

The airport which handled 2.85 million passengers per annum before the pandemic can now operate 12 flights an hour handling 3,000 passengers at a time. Travel operators expect that with an impressive increase in the number of passengers, the number will soon increase to 3.5 million per annum.

Tourism Minister RK Roja recently said they are also expecting introduction of international flights to Tirupati as many people from abroad visit the world famous temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.