Kolkata: The civil aviation ministerhis deputy and even the local MP voiced the need for more international flights from Kolkata to revive the city airport’s glorious past, when it used to be a global aviation hub.
“I don’t think there is any other airport in the country that can boast of an operational legacy of 100 years. I feel proud to know that even in 1924, international flights touched down at this airport, and it connected to multiple global destinations. several years ago. India’s revolutionary growth in aviation rightly started from this airport,” civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said on Saturday. “As this airport celebrates its 100 years, we must have more international connectivity. With gentle persuasion with private airlines, we need to increase international flights from here. We take up this challenge to restore its glorious past.” Naidu was speaking at an event celebrating the city airport’s centenary. At the event, a souvenir coin, a centenary postal stamp and a coffee table book capturing the glorious past of the airport were launched. Some former employees were congratulated. The minister spoke about expansion plans for the terminal, followed by the construction of a terminal building that will boost capacity by 40%.
Before Naidu, MP and chairperson of the airport advisory committee Sougata Roy had broached the topic of global links as he spoke about the state’s attempt at restoring direct connections to and from Europe and urged the ministry to start a dialogue with private airlines. “I request the minister to give more international flights to Kolkata. London, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei all had direct links from Kolkata. They have now all gone to Mumbai and Delhi. I don’t grudge them but the ministry should Make a gentle effort to bring them back,” said Roy.
Spanning 1,566.3 acres with a 2,30,000-sq m built-up area, the airport serves 26 million passengers annually, connecting to 49 domestic and 15 international destinations. “Yeh dil maange more. There has to be more connectivity out of Kolkata airportespecially since it used to be a hub of European and southeast Asian flights 50 years ago,” said Murlidhar Mohol, MoS for civil aviation.
The airport’s history began near Royal Artillery Armory in Dum Dum. On May 2, 1924, French pilot lieutenant Pilchet Doisy landed a Dakota 3 aircraft. The first night landing took place on Nov 14, 1924, guided by ‘mashals’ (torches). It became a pioneer in Indian aviation, hosting the Bengal Flying Club (1929), emerging as an early jet service hub (1964), and launching India’s first dedicated airline cargo terminal (1975).
TOI wrote about how the period between 1940s and 1960s saw the airport soared to being a popular stopover hub, handling flights from Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, KLM, Pan Am, Lufthansa, Swissair and SAS on the routes from Europe to Asia. The airport’s prominence declined with the introduction of long-haul aircraft in the ’60s. It regained significance post-’90s liberalisation, with a new domestic terminal in 1995 and its renaming as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International AirportIts New Integrated Terminal opened in 2013.
Naidu spoke about how the current modifications aimed at increasing annual passenger capacity by 2 million, from 26 million to 28 million, and the proposed terminal’s two-phase development would push up the annual passenger capacity further to 39 million. “Kolkata has shown what govt-run airports can achieve. We will develop the best air infrastructure in Bengal. Metro rail will add more comfort to passengers. We will provide whatever support the airport needs,” he said. Naidu also advocated for women empowerment, stating the percentage of women employees at the airport should be at least 25, instead of the current 14. “There should be more women in the civil aviation sector. Kolkata should lead the way,” said Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party MP.
“I don’t think there is any other airport in the country that can boast of an operational legacy of 100 years. I feel proud to know that even in 1924, international flights touched down at this airport, and it connected to multiple global destinations. several years ago. India’s revolutionary growth in aviation rightly started from this airport,” civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said on Saturday. “As this airport celebrates its 100 years, we must have more international connectivity. With gentle persuasion with private airlines, we need to increase international flights from here. We take up this challenge to restore its glorious past.” Naidu was speaking at an event celebrating the city airport’s centenary. At the event, a souvenir coin, a centenary postal stamp and a coffee table book capturing the glorious past of the airport were launched. Some former employees were congratulated. The minister spoke about expansion plans for the terminal, followed by the construction of a terminal building that will boost capacity by 40%.
Before Naidu, MP and chairperson of the airport advisory committee Sougata Roy had broached the topic of global links as he spoke about the state’s attempt at restoring direct connections to and from Europe and urged the ministry to start a dialogue with private airlines. “I request the minister to give more international flights to Kolkata. London, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei all had direct links from Kolkata. They have now all gone to Mumbai and Delhi. I don’t grudge them but the ministry should Make a gentle effort to bring them back,” said Roy.
Spanning 1,566.3 acres with a 2,30,000-sq m built-up area, the airport serves 26 million passengers annually, connecting to 49 domestic and 15 international destinations. “Yeh dil maange more. There has to be more connectivity out of Kolkata airportespecially since it used to be a hub of European and southeast Asian flights 50 years ago,” said Murlidhar Mohol, MoS for civil aviation.
The airport’s history began near Royal Artillery Armory in Dum Dum. On May 2, 1924, French pilot lieutenant Pilchet Doisy landed a Dakota 3 aircraft. The first night landing took place on Nov 14, 1924, guided by ‘mashals’ (torches). It became a pioneer in Indian aviation, hosting the Bengal Flying Club (1929), emerging as an early jet service hub (1964), and launching India’s first dedicated airline cargo terminal (1975).
TOI wrote about how the period between 1940s and 1960s saw the airport soared to being a popular stopover hub, handling flights from Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, KLM, Pan Am, Lufthansa, Swissair and SAS on the routes from Europe to Asia. The airport’s prominence declined with the introduction of long-haul aircraft in the ’60s. It regained significance post-’90s liberalisation, with a new domestic terminal in 1995 and its renaming as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International AirportIts New Integrated Terminal opened in 2013.
Naidu spoke about how the current modifications aimed at increasing annual passenger capacity by 2 million, from 26 million to 28 million, and the proposed terminal’s two-phase development would push up the annual passenger capacity further to 39 million. “Kolkata has shown what govt-run airports can achieve. We will develop the best air infrastructure in Bengal. Metro rail will add more comfort to passengers. We will provide whatever support the airport needs,” he said. Naidu also advocated for women empowerment, stating the percentage of women employees at the airport should be at least 25, instead of the current 14. “There should be more women in the civil aviation sector. Kolkata should lead the way,” said Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party MP.
