In a significant development, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is all set to launch an international flight service between Agartala, the capital of Tripura, and Chittagong in Bangladesh. SpiceJet has agreed to operate the passenger flight service on this route, which is expected to take off in June. Chittagong is one of the most important cities in Bangladesh and an emerging commercial hub in South Asia. The Agartala airport connects Tripura to major cities across India with flights from major airlines like Air India, IndiGo, Air Asia and FlyBig.
The Tripura government had requested the external affairs ministries of India and Bangladesh to provide clearance to start the Agartala-Chittagong passenger flight in August 2022. However, delays in setting up customs and immigration facilities at the airport resulted in the delay of operations. The state government had even agreed to bear the viability gap funding of Rs 15 crore per annum to the airlines plying on this route. However, delays in setting up customs and immigration facilities at the airport resulted in the delay of operations. Now, recent reports suggest that the operations on the route will start in the next three months.
The Tripura government has fixed a fare cap of Rs 4,500 for each trip to facilitate travel for tourists and businessmen from both countries. This route is quite significant, considering the growing commerce in the Southeast Asian region through Tripura via Bangladesh.
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Tripura’s Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury has assured that the state government will make the flight service viable, despite the initial challenges of unoccupied seats. “It is estimated that each fleet will be 50% vacant, but aviation companies would not run the flight unless getting the cost of those unoccupied seats, which we shall pay to make the service viable and sustainable,” Mr Chowdhury said in a statement.
Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is the second busiest airport in the northeast region after Guwahati airport. It is also among the oldest airports in the country. The airport has got a new integrated terminal building build at the cost of Rs 500 with a built-up area of 30,000 square meters. The MBB airport can handle 1,500 passengers, including 200 international passengers during peak hours.
Overall, the launch of this new flight service is expected to be a game-changer for both Tripura and Bangladesh. With SpiceJet’s operational expertise, the flight service is expected to provide a hassle-free and affordable travel experience to passengers between the two countries.
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