Coimbatore’s potential for more flights to domestic and international destinations was highlighted at an “Aviation Conclave” organised in the city on Saturday as a part of the Coimbatore Next initiative.
In a panel discussion on “Coimbatore Region - Opportunities, Potential, Challenges, and Roadmap for Better Connectivity”, moderated by Surender Vittal, former president of CREDAI Coimbatore, Nandini Rangaswamy, chairperson of CII Southern Region, said the industrial base in Coimbatore and nearby districts, and focus on tourism, educational and healthcare sectors in the region offered several opportunities for airlines to make it a destination.
Further, there is a need to tap the air cargo potential, especially of high value perishables that can be shipped from this region to international destinations, she said.
Robust airport facility will directly benefit the economic activities of the region, she said.
According to Vanitha Mohan, vice-chairperson of Kongu Global Forum, the catchment area for the airport here is huge compared to several other airports in the country. Direct flights from here will reduce the travel time for people travelling out of Coimbatore for business and those coming here. The demand for more flights to international and domestic destinations is to minimise the travel time.
Ravi Sam, former chairman of the CII Tamil Nadu, said the business opportunity for the airlines is high in Coimbatore. With poor air connectivity, several international buyers are skipping the city and are unable to see the manufacturing capabilities here. However, in almost every industry in the western region, someone is constantly travelling and that offers potential for the airlines, he said.
Representatives of the operators - domestic and international - who spoke at the conclave said the potential is huge in Coimbatore. Some of them said they are studying the opportunities here and some airlines were considering the possibility of adding new sectors from Coimbatore.
The conclave was organised by eight industrial and trade organisations here.
