VASCO
Dabolim Airport Director Gagan Malik on Wednesday said though chartered flight operators had requested for slots, they could not arrive till international commercial flights begin operations or till a special provision was made regarding chartered flights.
He said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had even written to the Centre regarding the resumption of chartered flight operations.
Speaking to reporters at Dabolim Airport, Malik said since international commercial flight operations were shut, plans to have chartered flights in October had not materialised.
"Till such time, the central government and the government of a particular country doesn't decide on the recommencement of international flights, nothing can be done.”
“We had received a request for around 350 slots from different international airlines from Russia, UK and TUI, and we have already agreed on the slots. But chartered flights cannot arrive till such time international commercial flights start operating or till a special provision is planned for chartered flights," said Malik.
"Even when Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was at the airport last time, he had mentioned to me that he had written to the Centre regarding chartered flights operations but there are many situations that need to be considered.”
“Normally by October 15, we would be having chartered flights arriving in Goa but as of now it may not be possible that these flights may arrive and it is difficult to say when chartered flights can start arriving in Goa," said Malik.
Regarding operations of international flights through charters, Malik said he was given to understand there are attempts to operate these flights through the Air Bubble platform where flights will operate point to point, but a final decision is yet to be taken by the central government.
