Night flight cargo services for perishable items starts from Srinagar Airport

SRINAGAR — In a significant development, authorities in Kashmir have started the night flight cargo services from Srinagar Airport.

The development comes after DGCA approved the night flight operations from Sunday at Srinagar Airport. The proposal was sent by two major airlines for night flight operations.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P. K. Pole said after the DGCA approved the night flight operations at Srinagar Airport, which has added more into the flying hours and more flight movements, the flight movement will increase from 32 to around 40 in a day.

He said the increase of more flight operations at Srinagar Airport will have a direct positive impact on the economy of the Valley as far as the tourism is concerned as well as the stakeholders associated with the trade.

Talking about the night flight cargo services, he said, “The night flight cargo services will be used in transporting perishable fruits like cherry or other perishable items like flowers also, which are fragile and will be transported in lesser time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Director Srinagar International Airport, Santosh Dhoke, said DGCA has approved the night flight operations at Srinagar Airport after two major airlines last week conducted night flights on trial basis at Srinagar Airport, which were successful.

“So far, two airlines, GoAir and Indigo, have applied for night flight operations at Srinagar Airport and the proposals have been approved by DGCA,” he said.

Dhoke further said the airline’s movement is based on traffic and as soon as the other airlines want to apply for night flight operations, they can also apply and the Airport Authority at Srinagar Airport has no objection, rather it will welcome them.

Earlier, in last week of March, GoAir and Indigo Airlines held trial night flights from Srinagar Airport so as to check the technical feasibility after which the report was also to be submitted to DGCA for allocating the summer slot timing schedule.

Dhoke said that it is a milestone achievement that the night flight operations are started at Srinagar Airport and potential of passengers is increasing at Srinagar Airport and today, Srinagar Airport is witnessing around 11 thousand passengers a day as compared to seven to eight thousand passengers before COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the addition of more flying hours at Srinagar Airport, it will attract more tourism in the Valley, which is surely a good sign for rejuvenating the economy and people associated with the tourism industry,” he said.