India may allow budget airlines to operate on Dubai-Kolkata route

Kolkata: Indian Government is considering a possibility to allow budget airlines to operate on the Kolkata-Dubai route, according to a senior official from the Indian state of West Bengal.Speaking to Khaleej Times after a Press conference here to inaugurate the start of the Emirates' direct, non-stop service between Dubai and Kolkata yesterday, T.K. Burman, Principle Secretary Tourism, Government of West Bengal, said that his government approached the federal body a year ago regarding this issue and while the government is still considering it, nothing has been finalised yet.
"We have a domestic airport Bagdogra near the city of Siliguri that we have been trying to upgrade to an international one for the last three years. This issue is also with the Federal Government and once it is addressed, we will be able to launch a budget airline operating in this route out of that airport," he explained. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Executive Vice-President commercial operations worldwide, Emirates, said that the airline had no problems with budget airlines entering the market.
08/04/06 Jamila Qadir/Khaleej Times, UAE

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