Business cheers Air Arabia operations in Nagpur

Here is an example how much change can happen by getting an international airport status and commencement of overseas flights.

Nagpur-based travel agencies, hospitality industry and bus operators, besides railways and to some extent domestic airlines, are all seeing more business opportunity than just a month ago. All these changes and much more have been brought by Air Arabia starting its flights to Sharjah from October 16.

Air Arabia, the only international airline currently operating from the Nagpur airport, has flown out over 1,600 passengers to Sharjah and beyond ever since it began its operations. An Air Arabia spokesman said that 70 per cent of these passengers were travelling abroad for the first time.

The low-cost national carrier of Sharjah offers a round ticket for as less as Rs 9,000. Nagpur's geographical location in the country and the connectivity it offers through various modes of transport to any destination in the country is proving to be a great advantage for both the city as well as the airline.

Passengers have been coming here from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Several bus services are available for any destination in MP, Chhattisgarh, and AP while all south-bound trains from Delhi pass through Nagpur. According to Central Railway, it may increase the quota for Nagpur for Hyderabad and destinations in Kerala, if the demand increases any further.

"We already had wait-listed passengers on all south"�bound trains. Now, the demand has increased even more. If this continues, the railways may consider introducing a new train on this route or increasing the quota ex-Nagpur," said a spokesman of the Central Railway.

Travel agents said that there is a rush of enquiries for Sharjah and Dubai. A large number of Muslims flew to Jeddah via Sharjah for the Umrah pilgrimage. Travelling for Haj pilgrimage costs the same as Umrah but less Indians opt for it. But now it makes sense to go on Umrah also as Air Arabia offers a direct low-cost connection ex-Sharjah.

The Air Arabia local office confirmed that the November 10 and 11 flights to Sharjah were sold out and just a few seats remained available for the November 14 flight. Over 50 per cent seats on flights for rest of the month have also been booked. Air Arabia flies to Sharjah thrice a week on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Adil Farid, head of operations, Nagpur, Air Arabia, said that the flow of first-timers has not stopped even after the Umrah season concluded. He said this indicates that a large number of persons were visiting Sharjah for tourism purposes.

Farid said, if the response continued to be good then the airline may increase the frequency of the flight to five days a week for the next three-four months. "We are looking forward to getting good traffic during January when a number of events are lined up in Dubai," he added.

Hotels said, bookings were looking up ever since Air Arabia started operations. Big luxury hotels reported a marginal increase of 15-20 per cent but smaller hotels and lodges said bookings had increased by as much as 60 per cent.

"We have full occupancy generally on a day before the scheduled Air Arabia flight out of Nagpur. People are even prepared to sleep in the passage on these days," gushed Sudeep Agrawal owner of a lodge, which offers basic rooming facilities, here.

"Many of these people are labourers and are going to Sharjah for the first time with some big labour contractor. They don't have much money on them and hence prefer lodges," Agrawal explained.

He further said, "Air Arabia is offering low cost tickets, we are inexpensive and safe. This is the mantra of success."