The turbulence over the Dabolim skyline is showing, and the figures say it all. According to data, there is a consistent drop in flights at Dabolim in comparison to the air traffic of the previous year. While the drop is in the range of 15 to 20 per cent from January to November 2023, the month of December has seen a significant fall of nearly 50 per cent.
Against this scenario, consider the situation at Mopa. According to a communication from GMR, the operators of the Manohar International Airport, the airport has shown increased passenger growth, expanded its routes, and launched international services with connectivity to 25 domestic and four international destinations. The airport is stated to have handled over 3 million passengers since its inauguration on January 5, 2023.
Dabolim Airport Director may be trying to play down the decline saying that an overall 15 per cent downtrend is fine, but the fact of the matter is that right through last year Dabolim has not shown an uptrend and neither does it enjoy the comfort of better days ahead.
A quick recall. Last August, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh had assured a visiting delegation of State ministers led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that the Dabolim airport will continue to operate. Also to give an assurance was Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The Goa team returned merrily and relayed the sentiments expressed by Central leaders without understanding the intricacies of civil aviation.
In the monsoon Assembly session in July, a calling attention motion was moved on the declining air traffic at Dabolim with South Goa legislators expressing concern. Sawant sounded positive saying that the State government would write to the aviation minister and reiterated that no existing flights will be allowed to shift. Truth be told, it is beyond the purview of governments to dictate terms to airlines and make choices for them, which means airlines switching to Mopa cannot be blocked out. Personal or political interventions are not going to help because it is a matter of business and profitability for airlines, a sector that is going through a lot of turbulence.
Against the backdrop of all assurances and follow-up promises that flights will not change course, Dabolim has seen a drastic decline and the downtrend suggests that sooner or later sustainability of the airport will be in doubt.
We recall Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao’s reference to Dabolim turning into a ‘ghost airport’ in his maiden appearance in the Assembly. Currently, there are around 34 ‘ghost airports’ in the country, airports that are non-operational and no carriers running scheduled flights.
Aviation experts have always believed that high costs and logistical issues have forced airlines to bypass smaller locations, and in the case of Goa, these fears gain credence when there is an airport providing better facilities and logistical support.
Whatever the assurances, the bottom line is that airport profitability largely depends on traffic. A consistent decline is not a healthy sign which is why fears of Dabolim crash landing shortly appear real. Surprisingly, there is an eerie silence over Dabolim, the falling star.
