Tuesday, June 06, 2006 8:28:25 AM (IST) Mangalore Airport Status:by Walter NandalikeEditor-in-chiefDaijiworld.com
June 6: When the Mangalore airport started its flight operations in 1951, it was one of the historic moments for the land of Dakshina Kannada and around. During that time, not many people might have thought that it would take another fifty years for an international flight to land here !
The progress of Mangalore airport was at a snail's pace until recently. The campaign for international status to the airport was started sometime in 1971, as many people recall. Many people did their best but had to give up out of sheer despair.
But, M R Vasudeva, the present airport director at Mangalore, gave a new hope to the project of upgrading the Mangalore airport to intenational status. Being the son of the soil, his love for Mangalore and his commitment to duty have been the contributing factors for ensuring the progress in the upgradation of the airport to international standards. No doubt the Aiports Authority of India and government officials have provided full back-up.
"The progress seen in the last two years at the Bajpe airport is certainly far greater than what took place during the earlier twentyfive years," said an official at the airport to Daijiworld. And that is absolute truth.
During Veerappa Moily's tenure as chief minister, Abu Dhabi-based NRI entrepreneur B R Shetty took the initiative for a new airport to be built in Padubidri region in the present Udupi district, thus facilitating landing of international flights. But the omnipresent 'politics' appeared to have played a major role. The mission could not be fulfilled for many reasons.
In the year 2003, Rajesh Sequeira, engineer by profession, took the lead in the UAE and gathered some like-minded Mangaloreans with the support of NRI entrepreneurs to rejuvenate the campaign. There could not have been a more competent person to spearhead this mission than Rajesh Sequeira because he had earlier worked for Jet Airways at Mangalore airport for a few years and knows the passenger movement and facilities in and out.
By then the union government already sanctioned funds for expanding the runway. Rajesh's efforts inspired similar initiatives in other Gulf countries also. Unfortunately not many people back home supported the cause. Those religious leaders and social workers who keep travelling to the Gulf for 'charity' purposes, never thought of the interests and needs of the very NRI's from whom they perennially expect the milk of human generosity to flow. But the campaign snowballed and the efforts put up by the NRIs got stronger and stronger.
2006 - A Golden Year for Mangaloreans?
Yes, as far as international airport is concerned, it's a great year. In January, an Airbus A319 landed for the first time in Mangalore, thanks to the Kingfisher airlines.
Kingfisher Airlines' maiden flight having landed in Mangalore
The runway work was completed in May and the soon after the maiden flight landed on the new strip. The pilot who landed the first flight was all praise for the new runway since it had met with the specifications of international standards and had a fabulous finish. Full credit to airport director at Mangalore for getting the airport declared as customs airport and obtaining permission for immigration facility.
The above three are indeed major achievements.
Where is the international flight?
Now the million-dollar question. The airport is ready, the customs facility is ready, the immigration is ready...but where is the flight?
Is it the Sharjah flight or a bird?
Daijiworld.com played a major role in mobilizing and promoting appeals to the higher level through its reports from time to time. In Mangalore, a few local dailies have taken special interest in this issue and have been reporting regularly to highlight the need of the hour.
The maiden flight was announced on May 7, 2006 by Air India Express. But the Air India 'Express' was delayed and grounded even before its launching!
The airline officials gave two further, revised dates for the international operations, but failed to keep up the promise. But daijiworld.com has reliably learnt that Air India Express is running short of aircraft. The promised aircraft on the Chennai- Singapore, scheduled to be launched in March this year, is yet to arrive ! Once Chennai - Singapore route becomes operational, the next priority route is expected to be Dubai-Mangalore.
When we lost the immediate hopes on AI Express then suddenly came into the scene AP Air, a chartered line. Though it was not a major help for passengers, at least a flight could have been a breakthrough, which would have given a much-needed moral boost to the Mangalorean NRI's. The flight which was scheduled to fly Sharjah - Mangalore direct on May 26 got stranded at Sharjah, supposedly because of regulatory issues in Sharjah.
Travel Agent Misguiding?
The travel agent for AP Air in Dubai has reportedly misguided some of the passengers who enquired about the direct flight by saying, "Due to problems in Mangalore airport, the flight could not take off!'.
The Mangalore airport authorities have rubbished this statement and have confirmed to daijiworld that the Mangalore aiport is now ready to receive international flights and all hurdles have been cleared. Whatever the problems AP Air have in the matter of taking off AP Air are their own and Mangalore airport has nothing to do with it, say the aiport sources in Mangalore.
When daijiworld contacted AP Air's top officials, we were told, "Still our efforts are on. We do not want any hurdles once the flights take off. We want to fly regularly, so we are completing formalities here. The process is a bit slow, but it will be done soon."
No Godfather for Mangaloreans
It is true that no top Mangalorean political leader has taken keen interest in International airport movement. Look at the Pune airport and Amritsar airport in Punjab. Compared to Mangalore, they are much smaller and less-equipped airports. But international flights are flying regularly without any hurdles. If they can be allotted flights, why not Mangalore?
Yes, perhaps Mangalore does not have any 'Sharad Pawar' who can work for our own people. Sharad Pawar single-handeldly got Pune as international airport and it was on his birthday - Novemeber 14, 2004 - that they had a flight to fly Dubai - Pune direct! We depend on 'outsiders' at the national level who need to put their hands in our needs!
We need a godfather who can stand by the NRI needs. The basic need is the international flight now. Who will exert pressure on Air India Express or Indian Airlines, or any other airline? Who will instill confidence in them on the feasibility and profitability of an international flight to Mangalore?
Community leaders like Abu Dhabi enterpreneur B R Shetty and Ryan International School director Grace Pinto have been working behind the scenes by using their political contacts.
Abu Dhabi-based NRI entrepreneur B R Shetty discussing the progress of Mangalore airport upgradation with airport director M R Vasudeva
Still we do not find any politician who can press our demands. The entire hopes are now pinned on our dynamic union civil aviation minister Praful Patel, who can make things happen.....but when?
The question will remain unanswered if someone does not take the initiative.
Who's playing with our sentiments?
Despite all facilities being in place in Mangalore, why the delay in landing the flight? Who's playing with our sentiments? Do you get the smell of the domestic airline lobby? No doubt the domestic flight from Mumbai to Mangalore will have to run with less load and even at slashed tariffs if direct flights ae introduced. About 60% of the domestic passengers are said to be Gulf, Europe and USA-based. If a lobby of this kind is working overtime, what is the state of our dream?
Pressure on 'Indian':
The Karnataka NRI forum has put pressure on 'Indian', the re-christened Indian Airlines. Though it has all the potential for flying full capacity between Dubai-Mumbai-Mangalore and Sharjah - Mumbai- Mangalore, a little more interest from Indian will surely ensure a regular direct flight to Mangalore.
Though in February 2006, Indian promised us that they were considering flying direct very 'soon', this 'soon' should materialize by July/August positively.
Daijiworld's role:
A large number of articles, news, interviews and pictures published on this portal over the last three years are an example of efforts and interest taken by our team, whether in Mangalore, Mumbai, Dubai or elsewhere. Now hundreds of emails are flooding our mailboxes about the status of the international flight. Our team in Dubai gets calls from everywhere. Our Mangalore office is flooded with calls from aborad..'When is the first flight?'
We deliver whatever news we receive from reliable sources. And we will keep updating our readers and it is our commitment than every single information received will be shared through this flatform.
All we need is a little patience. We are very hopeful that the first flight will surely land very soon.
Any suggestions and further efforts on the part of NRI's are most welcome.
Please write to us and let us know what you, as individuals or collectively, can do towards realizing this dream
