Kolkata airport’s duty-free shops will remain closed after customs authorities rejected the special warehouse licence application submitted by the agency selected to operate the stores, prolonging a disruption that has already affected international passengers since July 1.
The new operator had set up stores in the international section of the terminal, but the outlets cannot open without customs clearance, airport officials said. The agency submitted its application on August 21, 2026, and customs rejected it a few days ago, according to airport sources.
A source said the application was rejected after a mandatory examination of the agency’s antecedent records found adverse entries and past adjudicated customs violations. The agency reportedly responded to an earlier notice by arguing that the cases dated back 17 years, involved another city and had been settled, with the penalties paid in full. Customs authorities nevertheless rejected the application.
“The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had awarded the contract to the new agency, but it is now up to customs to grant permission. We hope the stores will become operational soon,” an official of Calcutta airport said.
The latest setback follows a gap in the handover of duty-free operations. Flemingo Dutyfree Shop Private Limited, which had operated the stores in the international departure and arrival areas after winning the contract in 2017, saw its contract end on April 21, 2026. The AAI extended the contract until July 3 to support the transition but did not approve any further extension.
International passengers currently have access only to regular retail outlets. The airport has also been without a foreign exchange counter for the past year, according to earlier reporting cited in the source report. Popular duty-free purchases include liquor, chocolates, perfumes and souvenirs.
The closure has become more visible during the festival season, when flights to most international destinations are nearly full. Businessman Dharmendar Mulchandani, a Park Street resident who recently travelled to New York and Dhaka, said he had been unable to buy duty-free products during his last three trips. Airline staff operating international services from Kolkata have also received verbal complaints from passengers, sources said.
Anil Punjabi, eastern-region chairman of the Travel Agents Federation of India, said many passengers travelling from Kolkata to Europe and the United States were not taking their usual Gulf route this season, with the absence of duty-free facilities cited as one reason. An airline official separately said duty-free stores were among the factors airlines consider when evaluating whether to introduce flights from an airport.
The disruption comes as the Centre considers discussions with airlines about direct flights from Kolkata to London and other European cities. Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu had said earlier this month that the issue would be discussed following a request from chief minister Suvendu Adhikari. The immediate next step for reopening the stores remains customs clearance for the newly appointed operator.
