Flight movement to resume at Pune airport from today

According to AAI officials, a total of 108 flight movements have been scheduled on Saturday, of which 56 are arrivals and 52 scheduled departures.

By: Express News Service
Pune | Updated: October 30, 2021 08:21 AM IST

2 min read

Pune airport, flight services, commercial flights, flights, airport, Pune, Air Force, Santosh Dhoke

. "It's festival season and the airport is reopening after a break of 14 days. We are expecting rush for next few days and hence we are advising passengers to reach the airport two to three hours prior to the scheduled time of departure," Dhoke said. (Representational File)

Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke said on Friday that flight operations will resume at 8 am on Saturday as the Air Force authorities have conveyed that the runway will be made available for civil operations.

The airport had shut down for operations for 14 days, starting from October 16, as the Air Force had decided to undertake runway resurfacing work. Several airlines, which had already made passenger bookings for the period, had to cancel the flights and reschedule or reimburse the flyers after the announcement was made by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on October 5. Passengers and airlines had opposed the move, which was announced suddenly and in the middle of the festive season, when many people make travel plans.

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Airport Director Dhoke said the airlines have been informed about the Air Force confirmation.

According to AAI officials, a total of 108 flight movements have been scheduled on Saturday, of which 56 are arrivals and 52 scheduled departures.

Officials have advised passengers to reach the terminal two to three hours prior to the scheduled departure. “It’s festival season and the airport is reopening after a break of 14 days. We are expecting rush for next few days and hence we are advising passengers to reach the airport two to three hours prior to the scheduled time of departure,” Dhoke said.

He said the embargo on night flights (8 pm to 8 am) will continue for a while as the work being undertaken by the Air Force is not yet over. “We have been informed that the work is progressing on schedule. I am hoping that night slots will be opened for civil flights by December 1,” Dhoke said. When the airport was temporarily shut on October 16, the daily flight movement was 100, with a passenger footfall of about 16,000. Resurfacing work was scheduled to happen between April and May this year, but it was postponed. The Air Force had said that the work was ‘inescapable’ at the moment as it was important to address the rapidly deteriorating condition of the runway.