VASCO: The officials from Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) are upset with the delay in allotment of slots for the chartered flights at Goa airport, even though the tourist season is fast approaching with first chartered flight expected to arrive in the first week of October.
However, AAI Director B C H Negi has informed that the process for allotment of slots is in process and slots will be approved shortly.
According to TTAG President Savio Messias, the chartered flights to Goa would start in the first week of October. He said that this year there is uncertainty since the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is yet to allot dedicated slots to charter flights that are intending to come to Goa with international tourists.
“In absence of the dedicated slot allotments, the chartered flight operators are worried about getting the tickets booked by the fliers as they are more worried because they might get flights with less loads as such international tourists plan their tours well in advance,” Messias said.
According to him, by rule the slots are allotted in the first week of September but this year AAI has kept the chartered flight operators waiting. “In fact, it is the AAI officials and Indian Navy jointly creating problems in the process of deciding the slots for chartered flights and this might affect tourism season in Goa,” Messias feared.
