Port Blair’s Veer Savarkar International Airport is set to mark a significant milestone with its first international flight scheduled to take off on November 16. This momentous occasion will see Air Asia operating the inaugural flight from Port Blair to Kuala Lumpur.
The announcement was made by Mohan Vinod, President of the Andaman Association of Tour Operators, who expressed his excitement over this long-awaited development.
Vinod shared that the introduction of international flights from Port Blair has been a much-anticipated event, especially following the airport's inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 21, 2023.
He emphasised that the lack of international flights had taken a toll on the region's tourism industry. With the upcoming launch, there is renewed hope that the number of tourists visiting Port Blair will increase, thereby boosting the local economy. Vinod extended his gratitude to both the government and Air Asia for making this possible.
The tourism sector in Port Blair had faced significant challenges due to the absence of international flight operations. However, with the upcoming launch, there is optimism that the influx of tourists will rejuvenate the industry.
The anticipation for international connectivity has been building ever since the airport's inauguration, and now, with Air Asia's flight, the wait is finally over.
Earlier this year, on April 30, Veer Savarkar International Airport began night operations following substantial upgrades. This was a crucial development in enhancing the airport's capacity and improving overall connectivity.
Additionally, on April 18, a private airline successfully landed using the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport, marking another important step in modernising the aviation infrastructure in the region.
The advancements in aviation infrastructure at INS Utkrosh in Port Blair, including the upgrades under Project MAFI (Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure), have been pivotal in enabling the airport to handle both day and night operations.
This project, conceived at Naval Headquarters in New Delhi and executed under the supervision of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), has significantly contributed to the airport's readiness to operate international flights.
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