Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic crisis is benefitting Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram international airport, it seems. As the financial crisis worsens, long-haul flights from Sri Lanka are being refuelled at Thiruvananthapuram international airport.
SriLankan Airlines is now preferring the Thiruvananthapuram airport to refuel as it is the nearest international airport to Colombo.
The Thiruvananthapuram airport, which is managed by Adani Airports, has a huge financial benefit from the fee paid for parking and landing the aircraft. In addition, the fuel tax will increase the revenue of the central and state governments. But when flights arrive to refuel, passengers are not allowed to board. But airlines are allowed to change the cabin crew.
Long-haul flights fill up with more than 100 tons of fuel at a time. Recently, SriLankan Airlines flight, which was en route to Melbourne from Colombo, Australia, landed in Thiruvananthapuram to refuel. Another flight from Colombo to Frankfurt, Germany had also refuelled from Thiruvananthapuram airport. It has already been informed that four more flights to Melbourne and Frankfurt on June 1 and 2 will be refuelled from Thiruvananthapuram.
Many international flights from Sri Lanka have been suspended due to severe fuel shortages but service to Melbourne and Frankfurt continues as it is profitable.
SriLankan Airlines is attracted to Thiruvananthapuram due to its cheaper price of fuel and shorter distances than Chennai International Airport. Thiruvananthapuram airport is less than an hour away from Colombo airport. SriLankan Airlines are paying the same price for fuel as other airlines operating from Thiruvananthapuram.
Currently, Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation are distributing fuel to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
courtesy www.indiatoday.in
