India’s apex Hospitality Association and the voice of the hospitality industry - Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has submitted a representation to the Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation – Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia requesting his urgent intervention in avoiding disruptions in flight movements at the Port Blair Airport. The Andaman & Nicobar Command has directed shutting down the only runway of Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair for four days a week from March to May 2022 for its re-carpeting work and a NOTAM has been issued in this regard.
FHRAI has stated that the closure of the airport poses a serious threat to the hospitality and tourism industry in the UT which has already suffered 75- 80 per cent revenue loss due to the pandemic. With advanced technology options available today, FHRAI has appealed to the Ministry to explore alternatives to carry out the work at the airport without shutting down operations.
“Tourism is the backbone of Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ economy. Veer Savarkar International Airport is the only fastest connectivity option available for the islands with the country’s mainland. Closing it for four days a week from March to May 2022 will disrupt life and business on the Islands. Typically, tourists prefer to visit the Islands for only about 4 to 5 days. The disruption in flight movement will discourage them from visiting the islands which will ultimately result in losing out on revenue opportunities for the already deflated hospitality industry. Before March 2020, the annual revenue of the hospitality industry in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was in the Rs.1500 to Rs.2000 crore range. Since then the Islands barely opened for about six months for tourists. The hospitality industry has already suffered 75- 80 per cent revenue loss in these two years due to the pandemic. We request the Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation to favourably consider our request to undertake runway re-carpeting work without disrupting the existing operations,” says Mr Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, FHRAI.
FHRAI has stated that over the last 23 months since March 2020, the Islands barely opened for about six months for tourists. The operations were mostly ad-hoc with limited flights due to the NOTAM for use of runway only till 2.00 pm. This allowed operations of only about ten flights compared to two-dozen flights in the pre-COVID times. This too, further deprived the hospitality industry from any meaningful business when tourists were willing to visit the Islands.
“Today many advanced technology options are available that the Government can explore to carry out the work at the airport without shutting down the operations. We request the Ministry of Civil Aviation to adopting innovative technologies to avoid disruption in flight movements at the Port Blair Airport,” concludes Mr Kohli.