13 flights to connect Chandigarh with seven cities from May 25

MOHALI: A total of 13 flights will be operating to seven cities from Chandigarh international airport from May 25, according to Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL) chief executive officer (CEO) Ajay Bhardwaj “The flights will be operating to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dharamshala, Srinagar and Leh. We are expecting 5,000 to 6,000 footfall from day one,” said Bhardwaj.
Bhardwaj said they may increase the flights later. “Our office is functioning as it was before the lockdown. Passengers will be checked according to the guidelines issued by the government,” he said.

Bhardwaj said sanitisation of the airport, walkways included, will be done accordingly. The airport has arranged to ensure social distancing between passengers. “Marks have been made on the floor to ensure passengers stand 1 metre apart from each other. Seating arrangement will be done in a manner to maintain social distancing. Tapes and markers will be applied on seats that are not to be used,” Bhardwaj said. Security personnel of CISF are provided with transparent plexiglass sheets to avoid any physical contact and protection.
Domestic and international flight operations were suspended in March, days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the first phase of the nationwide lockdown to check the growth of coronavirus cases.
Since then, the Chandigarh airport had rendered losses of Rs 15 crore. Sources said that the main revenue of the airport is generated under the aeronautical category, whereby the airport charges Rs 800 per passenger from airlines.
Sources said an airline flying to Delhi with 80% occupancy pays around Rs 65,000 to the airport per flight.