After a six-month hiatus, commercial flight operations resumed at Pakyong Airport in Sikkim on Sunday, marking a welcome development for the tourism industry in the Himalayan state.
SpiceJet, the sole carrier operating at Pakyong, announced the resumption of flights from Kolkata and Delhi, offering much-needed connectivity for travellers.
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet is set to resume flight operations to Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, announced Pakyong Airport Director RK Grover.
The airline will operate daily flights between Kolkata and Pakyong, along with five days a week service between New Delhi and Pakyong, using 78-seater aircraft on both routes.
Flight services at Pakyong Airport were suspended six months ago due to operational issues.
However, after the completion of necessary work at the airport, services are set to resume, just in time for the summer holidays, attracting a significant number of tourists to the Himalayan state.
The flights from Kolkata are scheduled to depart at 8.05 am, reaching Pakyong at 9.35 am, and returning at 10.30 am, reaching Kolkata by 12.10 pm.
Meanwhile, the flights from New Delhi will take off at 9.45 am, landing in Pakyong at 12.40 pm, with the return flight departing at 1.10 pm and reaching New Delhi by 4.10 pm.
The reopening on Sunday witnessed the arrival of the Delhi-Pakyong commercial flight, warmly welcomed by Pakyong Airport Director Rajendra Grover and the airport staff.
Refreshments including tea and snacks were provided to arriving passengers as a gesture of hospitality.
Pakyong Airport, sprawled over 201 acres and situated approximately 31 km south of Gangtok, stands at an elevation of 4,646 ft, making it one of India's five highest airports.
It is the first greenfield airport in Northeast India and the sole airport in Sikkim, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 24, 2018.
Despite its scenic locale and commendable engineering, commercial flights at Pakyong Airport encountered operational hurdles due to adverse weather conditions. Originally designed as a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Airport, its operations were often impeded by weather constraints.
The resumption of commercial flights at Pakyong Airport is anticipated to bring relief to both locals and tourists alike.
Follow us
