Singapore Airlines, one among two international carriers that have stuck to Calcutta for decades even as many others have taken flight, has said the city's "modernised" airport can't get more airlines unless it matches the facilities in other metros.
The airport needs to add to its lone business class lounge in each section and expand the retail and F&B options to attract more passengers, which in turn would bring in more airlines, said David Lau, general manager (India) of Singapore Airlines.
"Passengers need more choices in terms of food and beverages, retail and lounges. A frequent flier wouldn't like to sit in the same lounge every time he comes here or shop from the same store," Lau said on Thursday. "Calcutta needs to give more choices to passengers. Delhi and Bangalore have such choices."
Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have operated flights to and from Calcutta for more than three decades despite such deficiencies.
Lau said he wasn't "sure" how to request changes at the state-run Calcutta airport, unlike in privately-managed airports like Mumbai and Delhi where airlines are free to approach the authorities. "We aren't sure how the system works here. So we prefer to go through the Airline Operators' Committee (AOC)," Lau said.
Sources in the AOC said repeated requests to the Airports Authority of India had brought about little improvement in the lounge and F&B facilities at the integrated terminal.
The airport has a premium lounge each in the international and domestic sections. The popular Clipper Lounge run by the Oberoi Group closed last month after the AAI declined to renew its contract.
The airport has only a handful of retail facilities and the AAI has taken more than two years since the integrated terminal opened to invite bids from brands and duty-free stores. The tenders were floated a few days ago.
Retail occupies barely 350sq m of space within the terminal and the tender is for another 1,050sq m. The duty-free outlets are spread over 150sq m in the international departure and arrival arenas while another 500sq m of space is unutilised as of now.
Passengers of all international airlines share the lone lounge.
"The facilities and the choice of food and liquor are basic at best. But it is better than what it used to be," said an official of an international airline.
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific (Dragonair) and several other international airlines had recently sought permission to have separate queues for business-class passengers at the frisking booths. The authorities turned down the request by citing "shortage of security personnel".
According to the Singapore Airlines GM, an airport needs value additions to make passengers want to come back."The business of air travel has become complicated. It's now destination versus destination and the only way to survive is through partnerships between airports and airlines," Lau said.
Singapore's Changi airport, he pointed out, offers vouchers to passengers in transit that they can use at the retail and F&B outlets. Transit passengers who spend more than five hours at Changi are also offered a free tour of the city for two to four hours without the need for immigration clearance. "Changi competes with Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. It ties up with Singapore Airlines for promotions," Lau said.
Delhi and Mumbai airports are going the same way. "We offer discounts in retail on a particular day of the month," said an official of the Mumbai International Airport Ltd.
When Singapore Airlines added the Airbus 380 to its fleet in May 2014, Delhi airport provided space for advertisements and promotions at discounted rates. Mumbai airport offered discounts in retail to Airbus 380 passengers.
Calcutta airport hasn't offered any such freebies so far.
Sources in the aviation industry said Calcutta's international passenger load has grown less than 5 per cent over the past two years. Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad have had a growth rate of 12 to 15 per cent during the same period.
