Sri Vijaya Puram, July 31: More than a year after the inauguration of the new terminal at Veer Savarkar International Airport and the commissioning of night landing facilities, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continue to grapple with limited flight connectivity and soaring airfares, prompting fresh questions from residents, tourism stakeholders and businesses over why the infrastructure is yet to translate into better air services.
The issue has once again come into focus as islanders continue to face delays in e-commerce deliveries, high travel costs and limited flight options. While the airport is now equipped to handle aircraft operations after sunset, airlines have not significantly expanded their schedules.
The Veer Savarkar International Airport, operating alongside INS Utkrosh, has undergone major upgrades that now make it capable of handling night landings and take-offs. These include a fully operational Airfield Lighting System (AFLS), Approach Lighting System (ALS), Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI), and an upgraded Category-I Instrument Landing System (ILS), enabling aircraft to safely operate even during reduced visibility.
Additionally, Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), Precision Approach Radar (PAR), runway resurfacing and calibration have strengthened the airport’s all-weather operational capability. During the first successful night operation, aircraft landed at the military airfield before taxiing to the civilian terminal, demonstrating the operational readiness of the upgraded infrastructure.
The availability of night operations should, in principle, allow airlines greater flexibility in scheduling aircraft rotations. Instead of operating only during daylight hours, airlines could introduce late evening arrivals and early morning departures, increasing aircraft utilisation while creating additional flight slots to and from mainland cities such as Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Bengaluru.
Industry observers believe that greater utilisation of these night slots could improve connectivity, reduce pressure on limited daytime operations and potentially bring down airfares by increasing seat availability. More flights could also support cargo movement and e-commerce logistics, sectors that have repeatedly cited inadequate flight capacity as a major challenge.
Despite these improvements, flight availability to the Islands remains significantly lower than demand during several parts of the year. Airfares frequently surge during holidays and tourism seasons, with travellers often paying substantially higher prices than on comparable mainland routes. Tourism operators have repeatedly stated that expensive airfare continues to be one of the biggest deterrents for visitors considering the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a destination.
Weather continues to remain an operational challenge, particularly during the southwest monsoon. Heavy rainfall, low cloud cover, thunderstorms and reduced visibility can still delay or divert flights when conditions fall below prescribed safety limits. However, aviation infrastructure such as the CAT-I Instrument Landing System, Approach Lighting System and PAPI significantly improve operational reliability by enabling pilots to land safely in marginal weather conditions that previously may have resulted in cancellations or diversions.
Real-time aviation weather observations through METAR and TAF reports continue to indicate temporary reductions in visibility during rain showers, but experts point out that the upgraded navigation systems are specifically designed to enhance safety and operational continuity under such conditions.
The continued gap between available infrastructure and airline operations has led many islanders to question which regulatory, commercial or operational constraints are preventing airlines from fully utilising the airport’s enhanced capabilities.
With tourism being one of the primary economic drivers of the Islands and businesses increasingly dependent on timely cargo movement, it is believe that better utilisation of the night landing facility could play a key role in improving connectivity, stabilising airfare, strengthening logistics and supporting the overall economic growth of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
As concerns over limited flights and high ticket prices continue to grow, there are increasing calls for the administration, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and airline operators to explain why the airport’s upgraded night operation capabilities are yet to translate into a significant increase in flight frequency and improved affordability for island residents and visitors alike.
