The Kongu Global Forum (KGF), representing a consortium of industrial and business leaders from Tamil Nadu’s western districts, has formally petitioned Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to incorporate Coimbatore Airport as a ‘point of call’ in India’s bilateral air services agreements (BASA) with the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This request aims to enhance the international connectivity of Coimbatore, a rapidly growing tier-II city currently absent from these pivotal agreements.
In their letter, KGF Chairman A Sakthivel and Vice-Chairperson Vanitha Mohan highlighted that while the existing BASA primarily benefits six metropolitan cities and 18 tier-II cities, it fails to address the burgeoning demand for international flights in emerging cities like Coimbatore. This omission limits Coimbatore’s access to global destinations and curtails the potential benefits of its designation as an international airport.
The forum’s appeal is underscored by a recent aviation conclave in Coimbatore, where international airlines including AirAsia X, AirAsia Thailand, FlyDubai, Oman Air, Royal Brunei, Qatar Airways, Malindo (Batik) Air, and Thai Airways expressed strong interest in operating flights from Coimbatore to major destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Dubai, Muscat, and Doha. The inability of these carriers to secure operating rights due to Coimbatore’s non-inclusion as a ‘point of call’ under the current agreements is seen as a significant missed opportunity. KGF asserts that adding Coimbatore to the list of ‘point of call’ cities in the bilateral agreements would directly benefit residents of western Tamil Nadu, providing them with much-needed access to international flights. The forum argues that this expansion would not undermine the operations of existing major hubs in India but would instead alleviate the need for passengers to travel long distances to other airports.
The inclusion of Coimbatore in the bilateral air services agreements could substantially bolster the city’s international connectivity, support its economic development, and cater to the growing demand for direct global air travel. This strategic adjustment would be a significant step towards enhancing regional access to vital international destinations.
