Traffic at Begumpet airport hits the sky

Hyderabad: The Begumpet airport witnessed a stunning growth of 45 per cent in domestic traffic during the last six months.
While this has meant 50 per cent increase in revenue for the AAI, if the same growth continues, the airport will be choking soon. The new Shamshabad airport is slated to be operational only in April 2008. Peak hours in airlines parlance extend from 7 am to 9 am and 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm.
In this scenario, airlines seeking to introduce additional flights will have to settle for off peak hours, which mean afternoons or even late in the night.
Spice Jet which started with three flights a week in November now operates two flights daily.
According to Captain G R Gopinath, managing director of Deccan Airways, Hyderabad airport is already facing congestion.
At present, Begumpet handles nearly 200 flights in a day. The maximum flights the airport can handle in a day is 300.
10/06/06 V Srinivas Ram/Times of India

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