CITIZENS JOURNALIST:
By Dr. Dinesh
Port Blair Oct 9: Every night, dozens of gleaming aircraft streak across the Andaman sky — from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore — bound for Chennai and Kolkata. Their lights blink over Port Blair, but none touch down. Below, an upgraded airport with world-class night-landing facilities waits in silence.
The Veer Savarkar International Airport, now fully equipped for night operations, could easily become a pivotal stop on the Southeast Asia–India air corridor. Yet, in what many call a classic case of policy inertia, no international carrier has been permitted to operate a night landing for embarkation or refuelling. “It’s frustrating to see flights pass over us every night while we wait for the morning to catch one,” says, a Port Blair resident who frequently travels to Chennai for medical care. “In an emergency, those few lost hours can cost lives.” If even a single international flight — say a Bangkok–Kolkata or Singapore–Chennai service — were allowed to stop briefly at Port Blair, not for disembarkation but purely to embark outbound passengers and uplift fuel, the impact would be transformative.
This model, known globally as a “technical or partial stop”, is already in use at airports in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It allows flights to pick up passengers or cargo without requiring full customs and immigration clearance. “The infrastructure is ready, the runway lights are glowing, and trained ground staff are in place,” says a senior official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on condition of anonymity. “All we need is a nod from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The rest can follow.”
For the airlines, it’s a win-win. Filling empty seats and refuelling at could generate revenue and strengthen the Islands’ economic ecosystem. For the local population, it means faster evacuation for patients, reduced ticket shortages, and an end to the logistical chokehold of limited daytime flights. “We aren’t asking for luxury,” remarks a small business owner in Rangat. “We just want a chance to fly out at night when flights are already in the sky above us. Why should geography always be our limitation?”
Social activists say the policy flexibility required is minimal — a single DGCA approval for limited night embarkation would suffice to pilot the concept. If successful, the model could later be expanded to multiple routes, effectively positioning the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as India’s eastern gateway in the Indo-Pacific air network.
The technology exists. The airport is ready. The skies are open. What remains grounded — for now — is the vision to let Port Blair finally take off.
