The Hindu Business Line : Singapore Air bets on Ahmedabad flight

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) is going ahead with its plans to commence Singapore-Ahmedabad flights on July 28 even as the `in-principle' approval from the previous Civil Aviation Ministry is yet to get fully ratified by the present dispensation at the Centre.

As per the original schedule, the thrice-weekly flight of Boeing 777 would leave Singapore on the last Wednesday of July at 2 a.m. and reach Ahmedabad at 4.45 a.m. before commencing its return flight in an hour's time.

However, SIA's application is understood to be pending with the Airports Authority of India for `slot clearance' in timings. There has been a long delay in sending the file up, first to the Director General of Civil Aviation and then the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

"For the SIA, Gujarat is important both for inbound and outbound traffic. It offers business opportunities for non-Indian companies just as it is an appealing destination for adventurous leisure traffic. Industries and wealth of the State also ensures a good mix of corporate and leisure traffic that is outbound. There is also significant movement to and from the US as the Gujaratis have relatives and friends settled there,'' said Mr B.K. Ong, General Manager and head of SIA's India operations.

The proposed Ahmedabad linkage is deemed vital, considering that some 40 per cent of India's foreign travellers trace their origin to Gujarat. According to Mr N.S. Jaldhari, Airport Director, Ahmedabad, there have been over two lakh passengers who travelled abroad from Gujarat during the last one year, mostly via Mumbai.

"There is no doubt that Ahmedabad is emerging as a hot destination for international carriers as the Gujarat Government has done away with the 14 per cent sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) in the last budget. With fuel accounting for 40-50 per cent of the operational cost of any carrier, this single factor would make Ahmedabad a preferred destination for foreign airlines,'' Mr Jaldhari said.

Meanwhile, Ahmedabad seems to be on the priority list of a few other foreign airlines as well.

They include Malaysian, Thai and SriLankan Airlines. Fin Air has already started chartered flights between Helsinki and Phuket, with Ahmedabad as the technical landing destination for fuelling and changing of crew.