Mangaluru: The seven-decade-old Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), despite operating for many years, has not received point of call (PoC) status. However, the start of direct flights to Singapore from the airport, which traditionally operated to Gulf countries, has given a boost and increased demand to grant the status to MIA.
PoC status enables foreign airlines to operate services from the said airports. Brijesh Chowta, Dakshina Kannada MP, has taken a keen interest and said that he will demand the status from the ministry of civil aviation.
The designated carriers of foreign countries receive PoC based on established guidelines outlined in bilateral air service agreements. These agreements are periodically signed between India and various foreign nations. Several factors influence the allocation of PoC to foreign carriers. These considerations include advantages for India's aviation industry, the size of Indian communities abroad, strategic expansion plans of Indian airlines, mutual exchange of benefits, maintaining equilibrium in advantages, and additional pertinent aspects in bilateral relations between the nations involved. This is the answer given by the ministry of civil aviation in Rajya Sabha, explaining the criteria for granting the PoC status to an airport.
"We have our coastal people working in Gulf and other countries. However, the airport has not been able to get the PoC status to date. If granted, we will be able to see many flights flying to Mangaluru. Therefore, I will soon meet the ministry to discuss the same," said Brijesh Chowta.
MIA became an international airport in 2012, and the PoC status wasn't provided to the airport since then. Aviation enthusiasts from the region expressed that PoC status must be granted to the airport, as it will further boost the aviation sector.
Flights to Pune, Delhi
Apart from introducing a direct flight to Singapore, Air India Express has also introduced additional direct flights to Delhi and Pune. The airline will reconnect Pune and Mangaluru from Jan 2, 2025. The flight to Delhi starts from Feb1, 2025. Flights to Delhi will operate during the morning and evening, helping business travellers. "We are excited that AIE has announced new direct flights to three destinations from Mangaluru. The routes will enhance connectivity and support economic and cultural exchange. We look forward to welcoming passengers and offering them a seamless travel experience," said a spokesperson for MIA.