Dabolim Airport | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Military/public | ||||||||||
Owner | Government of Goa Indian Navy [2] | ||||||||||
Operator | Airports Authority of India | ||||||||||
Serves | Panaji, Goa | ||||||||||
Location | Dabolim, Goa, India | ||||||||||
Opened | 1955 | ||||||||||
Focus city for | |||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 56 m / 184 ft | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 15°22′51″N073°49′53″E / 15.38083°N 73.83139°E | ||||||||||
Website | Goa Airport | ||||||||||
Maps | |||||||||||
Map of Dabolim Airport | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Statistics (April 2023 – March 2024) | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Dabolim Airport( IATA : GOI, ICAO : VAGO) [1] is an international airport serving Panaji, the capital of the state of Goa, India. It is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as a civil enclave in an Indian Navy naval airbase named INS Hansa. The airport is located in Dabolim, in South Goa district, 4 km (2.5 mi) from the nearest city of Vasco da Gama, 23 km (14 mi) from Margao, and about 30 km (19 mi) from the state capital, Panaji. [6]
The airport's integrated terminal was inaugurated in December 2013. It was designed by Creative Group, an India-based architecture firm. In fiscal year 2022-2023, the airport handled around 8.5 million passengers. [7] Since fiscal year 2023-24, the airport has been witnessing decline in passenger, air and cargo traffic, due to the excess traffic taken by the new airport as the second airport of the state. [3] Several European charter airlines fly to Goa seasonally, typically between November and May. Until 2022, flights from the UK (London Gatwick Airport and Manchester Airport) were operated by TUI Airways and Air India, which operated on a daily basis, before both the airlines shifted to the new airport in 2023 to relieve the growing excess traffic in this airport. [8] [9] As of 2024, there are also several seasonal charter flights to various Russian cities.
Because of capacity constraints at the terminal and air traffic congestion due to the military and naval presence, a second airport at Mopa was proposed. It completed its construction on 11 December 2022, with operations starting from 5 January 2023. [10] [11] [12] It is located approximately 60 km (37 mi) from Dabolim Airport.
The airport was built in 1955 by the Government of the Estado da Índia Portuguesa, on 249 acres (101 ha) of land, as the Aeroporto de Dabolim, which was later officially renamed Aeroporto General Bénard Guedes . [13] Until 1961, the airport served as the main hub of the Portuguese India's airline TAIP (Transportes Aéreos da Índia Portuguesa), which on a regular schedule served Daman, Diu, Karachi, Mozambique, Portuguese Timor, and other destinations.
During the Annexation of Goa, in December 1961, the airport was bombarded by the Indian Air Force with parts of the infrastructure being destroyed. Two civilian planes that were in the airport – a Lockheed Constellation from TAP (Transportes Aéreos Portugueses) and a Douglas DC-4 from TAIP – managed to escape with refugees, during the night, to Karachi. [14] In April 1962, it was occupied by the Indian Navy's air wing when Major General K. P. Candeth, who had led the successful military operation into Goa, "handed over" the airport to the Indian Navy before relinquishing charge as its military governor to a Lieutenant Governor of the then Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu in June 1962.
For civilian air travel out of Vasco da Gama and Goa, the Indian Navy and the Government of India invited the public sector airline (known now as Indian) to operate at Dabolim from 1966 after the runway was repaired and jet-enabled. A new domestic terminal building was built in 1983, designed to process 350 arrivals and departures simultaneously, while the international terminal, built in 1996 was designed for 250.
Once two vital road bridges across the main waterways of Goa were built in the early 1980s, and Goa hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1983, the charter flight business began to take off at Dabolim a few years later, pioneered by Condor Airlines of Germany. [15]
In 2006, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry announced a plan to upgrade Dabolim Airport. This involved constructing a new international passenger terminal (after converting the existing one to domestic) and adding several more aircraft stands over an area of about 4 hectares (9.9 acres). The construction was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2007. [16] However delays in transfer of the required land from the Navy held up proceedings.
The modernisation project of Dabolim Airport was one of 35 airport expansion projects undertaken by the AAI and, in terms of size and money, was its third largest project after the ones at Chennai and Kolkata airports. [17] It included the construction of an integrated terminal building to replace the older terminals, a multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility to accommodate between 540 and 570 cars and construction of additional parking stands for aircraft. The AAI acquired additional land from the Indian Navy and the State Government for apron expansion and the expansion of the older international terminal building complex. [18] The foundation stone for the terminal was laid on 21 February 2009, the project work began in May 2010 and construction of the terminal began in May 2011. [17] The terminal can handle 2,750 peak hour passengers, cost ₹3.45 billion and was inaugurated on 3 December 2013. [19]
Due to rising passenger traffic, restrictions over the airport on night flights by the Navy and no scope to expand the airport due to space and navy limitations, an alternative airport, Manohar International Airport, has been built at Mopa, North Goa district. [20] It has been built specially to help relieve the growing pressure on Dabolim Airport and to connect the state of Goa and its adjoining regions with more international destinations to increase tourism. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11 December 2022 and flight operations began on 5 January 2023. [21] [22] The new airport has already connected many domestic destinations, which previously did not have any connection/s with Goa. To carry international traffic to and from the new airport, some airlines like Aeroflot, Oman Air and TUI Airways will shift their operations from Dabolim Airport by the end of 2023. Air India shifted its London flights to the new airport, which is at present the only regular European destination from Goa, on 21 July 2023, thus making it the first international airline to operate to and from the new airport. [23] [24] [25] [26]
Dabolim's air traffic control is in the hands of the Indian Navy, which earns revenues from this service on account of aircraft movements. Landing fees are of the order of ₹17,000 (US$200) each while Route Navigation Facility (RNF) Charges are about ₹7,400 (US$89). The Airports Authority of India could be eligible for aircraft parking fees of ₹10,000 (US$120) per day. It receives a part of the passenger service fee which is shared between it and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The AAI's prime source of earning is from non-traffic services like passenger facilitation, car park, entry tickets, stalls, restaurants, and shops at the main terminal building and advertising boards.
Capital expenditures (such as for runway expansion) at the airport are covered by AAI. The Dabolim Airport runway has increased from about 6,000 feet (1,829 m) initially to 11,345 feet (3,458 m) as of April 2013 [27] and can accommodate Boeing 747s. There is a shortage of night parking bays which are at a premium in metro airports like Mumbai. A local association has estimated that about 40 hectares are needed for the civil enclave in comparison to the 14 hectares earmarked at present. [28]
The airport is spread over 688 hectares (1,700 acres) (and possibly 745 hectares or 1,840 acres[ clarification needed ]) and consists of a civil enclave of nearly 14 hectares (35 acres), an increase from its original size of 6 hectares (15 acres). The civil enclave is operated by the AAI. Of the 180 flights daily, [29] there is a very large concentration of civilian traffic in the period between 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm during weekdays, with the balance in the early morning hours. This is because of naval restrictions for military flight training purposes throughout the year. In September 2017, the AAI and the Indian Navy entered into a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to construct a full-length, parallel taxi track suitable for Boeing 747 type of aircraft and agreed to share the cost of construction. [30] The environmental clearance for the project was received in January 2018. The project, which involved development of a 3,710 metre long parallel taxi track along with associated facilities, would be completed in three phases. [29] The first phase was completed by November 2019. [31] The completed taxiway was opened in December 2019. It raised the capacity of the runway from 15 air traffic movements (ATMs) per hour to 18-20 ATMs per hour. [32]
The Navy's premises straddle the Dabolim runway and consequently its personnel would cross the runway at one point (on foot or bicycles or in vehicles) between flights. As part of the works taken up in 2018, a peripheral road was built and the local traffic would no longer affect flight movement. [31]
The airport's integrated terminal building handles both international and domestic passengers. It was opened in December 2013. The building design features aesthetic glass, large steel span structures, and frameless glazing. The 36,000 square metre terminal is designed to cater to five million passengers annually. It is equipped with eight aerobridges. The terminal features an in-line baggage scanning system and a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant. [33] It has 75 check-in counters, 22 immigration counters for departures, 18 immigration counters for arrivals, 14 security check booths, and eight customs counters. The basement of the four-level terminal has utilities like electricity and cargo handling. The check-in counters are placed on the ground floor while the first floor has security check booths. The second floor has the security hold area where passengers may wait before boarding an aircraft.
The old terminal buildings were closed after the commissioning of the new terminal. [34]
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights from Dabolim Airport:
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
Aero Nomad Airlines | Seasonal charter: Bishkek [35] |
Air India | Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai |
Air India Express [36] | Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Dubai–International, [37] Hyderabad, Kolkata, [38] Mumbai |
Alliance Air | Bangalore, [39] Hyderabad, [40] Indore, [41] Mumbai |
Azur Air | Seasonal charter: Perm |
Gulf Air | Bahrain [42] |
IndiGo | Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Raipur, [43] Surat [44] |
SCAT Airlines | Seasonal charter: Almaty [45] [46] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Year | Total passengers | % change |
---|---|---|
2016 | 6,434,790 | 16.46% |
2015 | 5,375,555 | 19.1% |
2014 | 4,513,201 | 16.2% |
2013 | 3,999,535 | 12.9% |
2012 | 3,542,747 | 0.6% |
By 2005, total passengers had increased to 987,700 (1944 domestic plus 762 international passengers per day, year unspecified). [48] The figure for 2004–05 was placed at nearly 1.3 million, giving a daily average of 3,467. [49] The airport director has claimed that 2.2 million passengers used the airport in CY 2006. This rose to about 2.6 million in CY 2007. The airport is ranked among the top ten in the country in terms of passenger traffic. Airport authorities consider that it has been operating at saturation levels since 2004.
Today, Goa's estimated 1200 international flights per year account for some 93% of India's international charter tourist flights. It is estimated that about 300 to 350 thousand international tourists arrive at Dabolim on charter flights. Goa's total international tourists (roughly double the charter passengers) account for 5–10% of the national figure and 10–15% of the country's foreign exchange receipts from tourism. As the weekend morning hours approach saturation due to waves of chartered flights especially from the United Kingdom and Russia, attention is shifting to the night and early morning hours of weekdays for accommodating such flights. Tourists from UK to Goa by air were estimated to number about 300,000 in 2013–14 while those from Russia numbered about 49,000 (by 280 charter flights) in the same period.[ citation needed ]
INS Hansa is India's biggest naval airbase. [50] The air station of the Indian Navy at Dabolim was transferred here from the Sulur Air Force Base in Coimbatore after the liberation of Goa from colonial Portuguese rule in December 1961. In 1983, the Indian Navy began inducting the BAE Sea Harrier into service, basing training activities at Dabolim.
The Harriers were replaced by MiG-29KUBs in 2016. [51] INS Hansa is also the site of Asia's first Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF), built in 2014 to train pilots of the MiG-29K for the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. [52]
INS Hansa is home to several squadrons of the Indian Navy, operating aircraft such as Mikoyan MiG-29Ks, Kamov Ka-28s, Ilyushin Il-38s, Dornier 228s. The Navy's Sagar Pawan aerobatic team is also based at Dabolim.
Apart from being a naval airbase, INS Hansa hosts the Coast Guard Air Enclave (CGAE) - Goa and also sees regular exercises by Indian Air Force aircraft. The Navy also operates a naval aviation museum near Dabolim Airport.
Military flight training at Dabolim is carried out on five days of the week from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs, during which civilian flights cannot operate. Some exceptions have been made on rare occasions by the naval ATC, chiefly in the case of foreign airlines. Charter airlines carrying international tourists during the season tend to use the freer civil aviation regimes on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and in the early morning hours. The blocked time is about 15% of the total on a weekly basis albeit during peak morning hours for civilian flights.
There has been a demand in local political circles for the restoration of Dabolim's civilian status by relocating the Indian Navy' air station to the proposed Karwar airfield in the new INS Kadamba naval base at Karwar, 70 kilometres (43 mi) south of Dabolim in the adjoining state of Karnataka. However, the Indian Navy's top officers in Goa have hinted that the investment at Dabolim naval air station is ₹7.5 billion (US$90 million) and that it would be impossible to replicate this at Karwar. [53]
In early 2007, there were reports of a concerted move by the Navy, the AAI, and the state of Karnataka to extend the runway planned at the naval base at Karwar to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) to accommodate Airbus A320s and to acquire 75 extra hectares for this purpose. [54] In 2011, the Navy affirmed that Hansa would retain its assets and position as an important station for the Indian Navy, despite the commissioning of INS Kadamba. [50]
An estimated 5,000 tonnes (5,500 short tons ) of cargo were handled annually as of a few years ago [ when? ] and may have declined since then. Most air cargo is carried in the belly-space of airlines such as Air India rather than in dedicated freighters. As of 2016, all domestic cargo is handled at Dabolim airport. GoAir, Vistara, and other airlines use AAI's facilities, including machines, to process cargo during non-peak hours. AAI has plans to build and operate a 24x7 cargo terminal at Dabolim in the old international terminal. Once completed, the common user terminal for cargo would be able to cater to both domestic and international cargo flights on a continuous basis. [55]
Passengers can reach the airport using taxis, buses, trains, or automobiles. Public buses go to the nearby city of Vasco da Gama, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) away, and also stop at the closer Chicalim bus stop, about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the airport. Local mini-buses connect both Vasco da Gama and Chicalim to the airport. Pre-paid taxis are available from the airport. There are various new transportation plans in the works, including the addition of a second bridge. Meanwhile, plans for a 6-lane, north-to-south expressway are on hold in Goa. A monorail system is also being considered. All these plans have implications for the proposed Mopa Airport and its link to Dabolim and Goa's population centres.
The nearest station is Dabolim railway station. The port at Mormugao is located about 5 km (3.1 mi) away. Konkan Railway provides services to Margao in South Goa, Tivim in North Goa, Carambolim, and Ponda.
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport serving New Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region (NCR). The airport, spread over an area of 5,106 acres (2,066 ha), is situated in Palam, Delhi, 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the New Delhi Railway Station and 16 km (9.9 mi) from New Delhi city centre.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is the international airport serving Mumbai, the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the second busiest airport in India in terms of total and international passenger traffic after Delhi, and was the ninth busiest airport in Asia and 25th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic in fiscal year 2023–24.
Chennai International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located in Tirusulam in Chengalpattu district, in the Greater Chennai Metropolitan Area around 21 km (13 mi) southwest of the city centre. The first air service was operated in 1915 and the airport was commissioned in 1930. The airport serves as the southern regional headquarters of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for South India comprising the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the union territories of Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, is an international airport that serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and the fifth international airport of India, officially declared in 1991. It is the operating base of Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet. The airport, spread over an area of 800 acres (320 ha), the airport is approximately 3.7 km (2.3 mi) due west from the city centre and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, 16 km (9.9 mi) from Kovalam beach, 13 km (8.1 mi) from Technopark and 21 km (13 mi) from the under-construction Vizhinjam International Seaport. It shares a visible proximity to Shankumugham Beach making it the nearest airport to a water body in India as it is, just about 0.6 miles away from the Arabian Sea. It is also the southern most international/domestic airport in the Indian subcontinent.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Kolkata and the Kolkata metropolitan area. It is the primary aviation hub for eastern and northeastern India. It is located approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city centre. The airport is locally known as Kolkata Airport and Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in 1995 after Subhas Chandra Bose, one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement. The airport's IATA code CCU is associated with "Calcutta", the former legal name of the city. Opened in 1924, Kolkata Airport is one of the oldest airports in India.
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is an international airport serving Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is located at Raja Sansi, 11 km (6.8 mi) northwest from the city centre. It is named after Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru and the founder of Amritsar. The airport is the largest and the busiest airport of Punjab. It is the third-largest airport in Northern India after Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The airport was the 3rd fastest-growing airport in India during the fiscal year 2017–18. It is a hub of cargo movements, domestically and internationally. The airport is ranked the 6th-best regional airport in India and Central Asia in 2019 and 2020 by Skytrax. The airport is awarded as the best airport in Asia-Pacific in 2020 by Airports Council International. The airport also featured in the top 10 airports in India and South Asia with Best Airport Staff for the year 2024 by Skytrax.
Jay Prakash Narayan Airport is an domestic airport serving Patna, the capital of Bihar, India. It is named after the independence activist and political leader, Jayprakash Narayan. It is the 15th busiest airport in India. To meet demand, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working to expand and modernise airport infrastructure. The airport is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion project that includes a new two-level passenger terminal, which will be completed by May 2024. Patna Airport is enabled with Digi Yatra facility from July 2024, passengers traveling from Patna Airport can avail it for seamless check-in experience and save their time.
Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, also known as Agartala Airport, is an international airport situated 12 kilometres northwest of Agartala, the capital of Tripura. It is administered by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). It is the second busiest airport in North-East India after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati and 29th busiest airport in India. It is the third international airport in North-East India, after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport and Imphal Airport.
Jaipur International Airport is an international airport serving Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. It is located in the southern suburb of Sanganer, which is located 13 km (8.1 mi) from Jaipur. It is the 13th busiest airport in India in daily scheduled flight operations.
Pune Airport is an international airport and an Indian Air Force base serving the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India. It is located at Lohagaon, approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) northeast of the historic centre of Pune. The airport is a civil enclave operated by the Airports Authority of India at the western side of Lohagaon Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. A name change has been proposed for the airport to Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport, which has been approved by the State Government. The airport is the ninth-busiest airport by passenger traffic in India. The airport serves both domestic and international flights. In financial year 2023-24, the airport handled over 9.5 million passengers.
Mangalore International Airport is an international airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore, India. It is one of only two international airports in Karnataka, the other being Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore. Mangalore International Airport is the second busiest airport in Karnataka. In addition to domestic destinations, flights depart daily for major cities in the Middle East. The airport was named Bajpe Aerodrome, when it opened on 25 December 1951 by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who arrived on a Douglas DC-3 aircraft.
Diu Airport is a domestic airport serving Diu in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, India. Besides Diu, it also serves the neighbouring areas of Gujarat, including Veraval and Jafrabad. It is the only airport in the union territory with commercial operations.
Belgaum Airport, also known as Belagavi Airport, is a domestic airport serving Belgaum, Karnataka. The current integrated terminal building was inaugurated by the then Minister of Civil Aviation, Ashok Gajapathi Raju on 14 September 2017. Near the airport, there is an Indian Air Force station, where new recruits receive basic training.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. The airport is located at Sonegaon, 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Nagpur. The airport covers an area of 1,355 acres. In 2005, it was named after B. R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution of India and one of the founding fathers of the Republic of India. The airport handled 27,94,427 passenger in year 2023-24, making it 26th busiest airport in India. The airport handles around 8,000 passengers per day and caters to four domestic airlines and two international airlines connecting Nagpur to Sharjah, Doha, and 14 domestic destinations. The airport spread over 1,460 acres is also home to Nagpur Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. Growth in passenger traffic is fuelled by passengers traveling to and from the state capital Mumbai, located over 700 km (378 mi) away and the national capital Delhi. The airport has one terminal and has two aerobridges.
Tiruchirappalli International Airport is an international airport serving Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The airport, spread over an area of 702.02 acres (284.10 ha), is located on National Highway 336, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city centre. As of 2024, it is the 31st busiest airport in India for passengers handled and 10th busiest for total international aircraft movement. It is the third-busiest airport in the state in terms of passengers served after Chennai and Coimbatore, and the second-busiest airport in the state in terms of international connectivity, after Chennai.
Jalgaon Airport is a domestic airport serving the city of Jalgaon in Maharashtra, India. It is located in Kusumbe, off National Highway 753F (NH-753F), 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast of the city centre, and 47 km (29 mi) away from the Ajanta Caves, for which it is its closest airport. The airport has a flight training institute run by Skynex Aviation. After resumption of operations in April 2024 with Fly91 and Alliance Air from June 2024, the airport became one of the fastest growing airports in Maharashtra, with direct connectivity to the major cities of Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Goa and Ahmedabad. As of June 2024, it is the fifth-busiest airport in the state by private and commercial aircraft movements.
Karwar Airport is a proposed airport and will be built by the Indian Navy at Alageri village near Ankola in Karnataka. The naval air station is expected to start functioning in 2025.
Visakhapatnam Airport is a customs airport in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It also operates as a civil enclave on the Indian Navy airbase, INS Dega. It lies between the city localities of NAD X Road and Gajuwaka. The airport covers an area of 350 acres. The airport has experienced significant growth since the beginning of the 21st century, with the construction of a new terminal and runway and the commencing of international flights.
Manohar International Airport, is an international airport at Mopa in Pernem taluka, North Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It serves North Goa and the adjoining districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, and as a second airport of Goa after Dabolim Airport in Dabolim.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)Media related to Goa International Airport at Wikimedia Commons