VASCO
Stating that international flights of Air India would continue to operate at Dabolim Airport under the air bubble initiative, Airport Director Gagan Malik on Friday said the airport has been handling around 11,000 passengers per day with 49 flights, with the number going up to 14,000 on weekends.
Malik was speaking to reporters after new wash rooms for passengers at Dabolim airport were inaugurated by Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral. “International flights operations are the concerns of respective countries and as soon as the different governments agree mutually, international flights will resume,” said Malik.
Malik said passengers on arrival were screened and passengers with temperatures beyond the specified range were being attended separately. “We handle around 11,000 passengers per day with 49 flights and this figure goes to around 14,000 on weekends. We have come a long way since we started after the lockdown and I feel Goa will soon catch pace and Goa Airport has contributed to it. We have received requests for nine more flights that have been approved,” he said.
Malik said Goa airport was capable of handling passengers and meeting the requirements of the necessary guidelines.
“Domestic passengers have increased and my assessment is that by December 15, we may surpass expectations because people after being held in homes for a long time are desperate to move out.”
“At Dabolim airport, all airlines and staff insist on necessary precautions like social distancing and sanitisation. The airport is also equipped with touchless facilities, sanitisation stations, floor markings, desks with glass covers and many other amenities adding to the growth of passenger flow,” said Malik.
