More intl airports seen unviable

E&Y AVIATION MASTER PLAN

While there is considerable potential for new domestic airports in Gujarat, the outlook for a second international airport looks bleak owing to the state's scattered global traffic base.

According to the Ernst &Young report, `Aviation master plan for Gujarat state', there is considerable potential shift from the existing airports in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar . There is an 1.1 per cent potential shift of passengers currently disembarking at Ahmedabad to Surat.

The potential shift of passengers currently embarking at Ahmedabad to Surat is 1.5 per cent. As far as Vadodara is concerned, there is a 3.5 per cent potential shift of passengers disembarking at Vadodara to shift to Surat, while there is a 5.3 per cent potential shift of passengers embarking from Vadodara to shift to Surat, the report says.

As much as 1.7 per cent of passengers at present embarking or disembarking at Rajkot can shift to Keshod, if an airstrip is provided there.

There is also a potential shift of 2.8 per cent of passengers to Keshod of the passengers currently embarking at Rajkot. Similar figures apply for Bhavnagar as well, implying that there can be a potential shift of persons to the Keshod airstrip from Bhavnagar.

The E&Y report also says that there can be a potential shift of passengers from the Bhavnagar airport to Amreli, if an airstrip is set up there.

As far as shift preferences of passengers using the Ahmedabad internal airport is concerned, there is a sizable shift preference only towards Surat (seven per cent), Bharuch (three per cent) and Mehsana (three per cent), implying that there is little potential for a second internal airport in the state, the report said.

According to the study, business is the main reason for people using Gujarat's airports either for embarking or disembarking. Thirty-eight per cent of all persons who use Gujarat's airports are on business trips, while 24 per cent fly to or out of Gujarat for social reasons.

Of the total persons who use airports to visit the state or leave Gujarat, 20 per cent are holidaying. A majority of the persons embarking at the Ahmedabad international airport are destined for the Middle East, followed by North America.

About 27 per cent of all international passengers embarking from Ahmedabad are destined to the Middle East, followed by 16 per cent to North America. The remaining 57 per cent go to other countries.

Interestingly, though, 25 per cent of all passengers leaving from Ahmedabad are from Bhavnagar district, while just three per cent are from Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, Mumbai, followed by Delhi, continues to be the most preferred destination for persons embarking from Gujarat's airports.

Also, Mumbai, followed by Delhi, accounts for the highest number of passengers that disembark at Gujarat's airports.