Visakhapatnam: Efforts are underway to bring the Visakhapatnam international airport under the Open Sky Policy in order to enhance global connectivity and position Vizag as a regional aviation hub.The move will permit foreign carriers to operate to and from Visakhapatnam without bilateral constraints, thereby linking the port city destinations worldwide. Often described as the financial capital of Andhra Pradesh, Vizag has witnessed consistent growth in tourism, information technology and pharmaceutical sectors. This has increased aviation traffic into the city’. The airport is handling an average of 8,500 passengers daily and a monthly footfall of 2.5 lakh, recording a 30 per cent increase over the previous year, according to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Currently, international connectivity from Visakhapatnam is limited to Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok. Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, Air Asia, and Thai Air Asia operate regular services from the city. Further, there is strong passenger demand on domestic routes to Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Airport Advisory committee member K. Vijay Mohan explained that Open Sky status could attract leading carriers, such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Saudia, while also enabling direct flights to Europe, the United States, and Africa. He said to support international operations, late-night domestic flights to Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Vijayawada and Chennai are under consideration. These would align with incoming and outgoing international services. The recent rollout of the Digi Yatra facility at the Vizag airport has enhanced passenger convenience through digital processing. Stakeholders point out that extending the Open Sky Policy beyond metro cities aligns with the centre’s objective of strengthening regional aviation infrastructure.
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