By Dr. Dinesh
With the Veer Savarkar International Airport already equipped for night operations, a new window of opportunity has quietly opened for the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the chance to become part of the international air corridor linking Southeast Asia with mainland India.
Flights from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and even Indonesia regularly pass through Andaman airspace en route to Chennai or Kolkata. Several Bangkok–Kolkata, Singapore–Chennai, and Kuala Lumpur–Kolkata flights cross close to Srivijayapuram each night. Yet, not one of them touches down.
If even a single international flight were permitted to land at Srivijayapuram during night hours, not for passenger disembarkation, but solely to embark outbound travellers from the Islands, it could transform the region’s air connectivity.
Such an arrangement would have immense practical and humanitarian value. For island residents, business travellers, and especially medical emergency cases, a single nightly connection could mean reaching mainland hospitals or destinations abroad without waiting for limited daytime schedules. It would also ease pressure on daytime slots and reduce last-minute ticket shortages.
The model is not new. Several countries allow “technical or partial stops” where flights take on fuel, critical cargo, or passengers bound for another destination without clearing arriving passengers through immigration. If Srivijayapuram is designated as a “technical embarkation stop”, the need for full-time customs and immigration clearance at night could be avoided, making the plan both feasible and cost-effective.
From the airline’s perspective too, this is a win-win scenario. They could fill a few empty seats at competitive fares, from Srivijayapuram passengers and uplift Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from the Island, generating additional revenue for the local airport and oil companies. For carriers already passing overhead, a quick refuelling and embarkation stop adds value with minimal detour.
Allowing even one such flight per night would bridge the isolation of the Islands, improve emergency connectivity, and reaffirm the Andaman & Nicobar Islands’ strategic importance as India’s gateway to the East.
Night operations from the Islands are not just technically feasible, they are already happening. With upgraded runway lighting, navigation aids, and trained ground staff, Srivijayapuram now has everything needed for safe night take-offs and landings. Yet, despite its strategic location on the Southeast Asian flight corridor, the airport remains underutilized.
The infrastructure exists. What is required is policy flexibility and a clear green light from the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.