If you hoped to fly for your Puja vacation from the glitzy new terminal at Kolkata, be prepared to be disappointed. It’s unlikely to be ready before the year-end because airlines have refused to move until the aerobridges are in place.
The recent honeybee invasions at parking bays in front of the new terminal may have played a role in the airlines’ insistence on aerobridges. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) was keen to inaugurate the terminal on the eve of Puja by getting at least one carrier to begin operations, but it looks like the wait may stretch to early next year.
The Airlines Operators’ Committee (AOC) — a forum of domestic and foreign carriers that has operations in Kolkata — has informed airport director B P Sharma and other senior officials that they won’t move before the aerobridges are ready.
Aerobridges are a vital component of any modern airport system because they cut down boarding and alighting time, save costs and protect passengers from the elements and unexpected incidents like bee attacks.
Airlines officials also felt that if they gave in to the persistent requests of the AAI and moved into the “unfinished terminal”, there was no telling when the aerobridges would finally be installed.
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It will take at least a fortnight for the cargo to sail from an Indonesian port to Kolkata. Moving it to Kolkata airport and its subsequent installation will take another fortnight. The aerobridges will be tested before being commissioned.
All narrow and widebody jet aircraft, starting from the Boeing 737 to the Airbus 319 series, will be able to dock at aerobridges. A bay has also been reserved for A-380, the largest plane in operation at present. Only smaller aircraft like ATR and regional jets will have to be parked at remote bays and boarding and alighting will be done using step ladders and passengers ferried in coaches.
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