Chandigarh may get its first international flight

CHANDIGARH: The airport here may witness its first international flight with the expected arrival of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the India-Pakistan cricket semifinal on March 30 at Mohali.

Sources confirmed that an aircraft with Pakistan prime minister and other VIPs on board would be landing directly at the Chandigarh airport.

The Pakistan PM would land at the technical airport, which is controlled by the Indian Air Force, sources said. The entire command and control of the local airport, including air traffic control ( ATC), is with the IAF. It would be the first international landing at the Chandigarh airport.

The local airport is operating around 11 flights daily for various domestic destinations only. Director of Chandigarh airport Captain H S Toor said the construction work of the new airport terminal is expected to be completed soon. ''We are looking forward to start international flights from it.''

Sources said flight operations would be suspended for about half an hour during the landing and take-off of the VIP aircraft on March 30. Officials of various airlines said all Chandigarh flights were full and that there are no seats available till Wednesday

VIPs told to use airport for only pick and drop:

It's a mad scramble for parking space for private planes carrying VIPs to Chandigarh for the India-Pakistan semifinal.

Be it Arun Jaitley or Abhishek Bachchan, VIPs flying private planes have been told to drop passengers at Chandigarh airport and then fly the planes to Sri Guru Ram Das International airport at Amritsar's Raja Sansi for parking.

Airports Authority of India GM (PR) G S Bawa said, "Chandigarh airport lacks parking space at the domestic terminal. So, we have asked them to drop their passengers and fly out to park elsewhere."