PUNE: The city airport will get five new domestic connections this month.
Earlier this week, the civil aviation ministry increased domestic flight capacity from 50% to 65%, notwithstanding a potential third wave. The total daily flight movement from Pune is expected to increase from 54 to more than 60, a source at the airport told TOI.
“A new flight will connect Pune with Nashik and Belagavi (Karnataka) from July 12,” an official said.
Another flight will connect Pune with Surat from July 16. “This flight will fly four days a week. Pune will have fresh connections to Ahmedabad and Gwalior from the same day, three days a week,” the official added.
Pune airport director Kuldeep Singh said airlines will soon share their plans.
Around 108 flights (both arrivals and departures) were planned to and from the Pune airport during the summer schedule, which came into effect on March 28. “The airport is operating half the flights planned in the summer schedule. Flight movements reduced drastically in May compared to earlier months due to the second wave. However, there has been a 100% increase in monthly passenger traffic in June,” another official said.
Currently, Pune has direct and connecting flights to Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Prayagraj, Jabalpur, Lucknow, Darbhanga, Patna.
Passengers have sought more flights to popular destinations. “With travel stabilising, airlines should look at restarting flights to popular destinations,” working professional Nimish Kamte said.
