SpiceJet inaugurates commercial night time operations at Visakhapatnam airport

Visakhapatnam: For the first time ever Visakhapatnam airport saw the launch of night operations of commercial flights on Sunday 30 March 2008 with a SpiceJet flight from New Delhi via Hyderabad, making the first landing at 7.20 pm.

It subsequently left for Mumbai via Hyderabad at 7.50 pm.

With night operations and the deployment of instrument landing system (ILS) at the airport the likelihood of international flights making an appearance at the airport also increases.

Though the facilities for night operations were available from as early as mid-2007, with the Indian Navy using the system for several months, clearance for commercial operations was received only recently as the defence ministry was unable to start operations due to shortage of naval personnel to man the air traffic control (ATC) facilities. ATC operations are under the control of the Navy.

Visakhapatnam, a port city along the Bay of Bengal coast, is not only a major hub for trade, commerce and industrial production but is also the naval head quarters for the Indian Navy's eastern naval command. It is also emerging as a tourist destination.

Meanwhile, budget carrier, SpiceJet, said that it had opened a ticket counter at the airport., which is its seventh destination in southern India and the 19th overall in its route network.

SpiceJet is the first carrier to receive approval for late evening services from Visakapatnam Airport, following the lifting of some operating restrictions through the installation of night landing facilities.

Visakhapatnam is SpiceJet's seventh destination in southern India and its 19th destination in the country overall.