Indian Navy urged to lift curbs on flights in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: The stakeholders including all the airlines operating from Visakhapatnam, tour and travels associations and industry bodies have decided to urge the Navy to put the military slot between 3 pm to 5 pm and defer the restrictions to next summer schedule instead of this winter.

Visakhaptnam MP K Haribabu chaired a meeting of stakeholders to study the impact of military slots planned by Navy on civilian aircraft movements at Visakhapatnam International Airport. The meeting discussed alternative ways to minimise the inconvenience for civilian aircraft movements. Airport Director G Prakash Reddy, all airlines station managers, representatives from AP Air Traveller Association, Tours &Travellers Association of AP and AP Chamber of Commerce & Industry took part in the meeting. The airline managers said rescheduling was not possible as they had already submitted the timing for winter schedule and also would have to change timing of all connecting flights.

Jet Airways informed that a daily flight connecting Delhi- Vizag-Bombay was withdrawn in view of the Navy restrictions, even as DGCA has given permission for these routes. Air India representative said their 12 services will be affected due to the military restrictions. Six flight movements of Indigo, two of Air Asia will also be affected.

Sri Lankan Airlines manager Hardip Singh said changing the flight timing between Vizag and Colombo will result in miss connecting of 19 flights on departure and 9 on arrival at Colombo. The manager confirmed that they would cancel their flight services if the issue was not resolved. Air Odisha which has recently launched its services between Vizag and Jagdalpur under UDAN will also be affected.