Puneites Forced To Take Connecting Flights Due To Non-Availability Of Flights
Mehab Qureshi
Pune, November 16, 2020: Many passengers travelling from Pune airport have complained about relying upon connecting flights as night flights have been closed due to the ongoing repair work.
The runway at Pune International airport in Lohegaon is being kept closed from 8 pm to 8 am for maintenance and repair work. Therefore, flights are being operated from the airport only between 8 am and 8 pm. Even then, only four flights per hour are allowed to avoid congestion in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As a result, the total number of flights has decreased. ‘
Prior to the lockdown, there was an average of 160 to 165 flights a day originating from Pune airport. In September-October, the number of flights had reached 78 (to-and-fro). However, now that night flights have stopped, that number has dropped to an average of 66. Therefore, Pune residents have few options for travel.
The unlock process is currently underway across the country. Upon the arrival of the winter season, tourism has also started. As a result, passenger traffic is also increasing.
Many tourists have started to travel from Pune to Kashmir, Manali, Amritsar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, other states in South India, but there are direct flights only on certain days.
Direct flights to Kochi, Srinagar, Indore and Goa are also closed. Therefore, airlines and ticket booking websites have offered passengers the option of connecting flights.
