SilkAir may start Coimbatore operations by 2008

Buoyed by growing passenger traffic and aircraft movements at the Coimbatore airport, SilkAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, plans to introduce its services here.

"Considering the huge outflow of passengers from this region to Southeast Asian nations such as China and Singapore for textile-related business activities, SilkAir may operate soon from the Coimbatore airport," Sanjay Cherian, passenger sales officer, Singapore Airlines, said at a press conference.

Although he remained non-committal on the timeline as to when the airlines would start its operations, sources say that it is likely to start its operations by 2008.

According to Joseph K Jose, marketing manager, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, during January-April 2006, tourist arrivals from India to Malaysia stood at 75,740, registering an 18 per cent increase over the arrivals during the corresponding period previous year.

Of the 2.25 lakh Indian tourists who visited Malaysia in 2005, 37 per cent were from non-metro cities, with the highest number of passengers being from Coimbatore.

"SilkAir did a feasibility study a few months ago on operating its flights out of Coimbatore airport. We got a positive result but the plans were put on the back-burner due to infrastructural hurdles such as inadequate parking bays at the airport. Now that the upgradation work is going on, we are ready to start our operations from Coimbatore," Cherian added.