Karnataka Minister Patil bats for international status for Hubballi, Belagavi airports, BA

Karnataka Infrastructure Minister M B Patil on Tuesday called for upgrading the Hubballi and Belagavi airports to international standards, citing growing passenger traffic and regional demand. He directed the officials to submit a proposal to the Centre, recommending international status for the two airports.

“Patil also stressed the need to upgrade Hubballi and Belagavi airports to international standards, directing officials to write to the Centre regarding the proposal,” said a statement issued by the Minister’s office.

Chairing a meeting with senior officials of flight operator companies, Patil emphasised improving air connectivity to six cities including Kalaburagi. Kalaburagi District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge was also present at the meeting.

“These two airports (Hubballi and Belagavi) meet the criteria for international status and witness high passenger traffic. Currently, travellers from these regions must travel to Goa to catch international flights. Upgrading these airports will greatly benefit a large number of commuters,” Patil told the executives of the airlines.

The discussion also focussed on improving flight connectivity to intra-state and inter-state destinations from Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Bidar, Hubballi, Belagavi, Vidyanagar (Jindal Township), and the newly developed Vijayapura Airport, which is ready for launch.

Representatives from major airlines including IndiGo, Star Air, Air India, Akash, Alliance Airways, and SpiceJet participated in the discussions.

Both ministers pointed out that although the Kalaburagi-Bengaluru route has the potential to be profitable, it currently operates only three times a week.

They urged airline operators to increase the frequency and extend connectivity to more destinations within the state. Responding positively, airline representatives assured that steps would be taken in this direction.

Highlighting that Operation, Maintenance and Repair (OMR) costs are higher in metro cities, Minister Patil suggested utilising smaller airports for night halting and OMR services.

He said the government is willing to waive parking fees if required.

Kharge assured the airlines that efforts will be made to extend such facilities in Kalaburagi.

Pointing to the underutilisation of airports in Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Bidar, and Vidyanagar, Patil stressed the need to enhance flight operations.

Referring to the long delay by Star Air and Alliance Air in starting services from Kalaburagi, Minister Patil said, “Kalaburagi has potential as a tourism hub. Connecting it to cities like Pune, Tirupati, Chennai, and Mumbai can bring significant returns. Starting pilot routes could help gauge viability.”

He also underscored the need to expand services from Mysuru Airport, suggesting new connections to Goa, Kochi, Hyderabad, and other cities.

Referring to Belagavi Airport, the minister said that while it currently handles 44 flights a week, there is a growing demand for a route to Pune, although current landing times pose a challenge.

He added that there is an opportunity to launch services from Belagavi to Chennai, Kochi, and even Kalaburagi.

On Jindal Township airport, which presently operates only one route to Hyderabad, Patil highlighted its proximity to Hampi, a major tourist destination. He recommended introducing flights to Bengaluru and Goa to boost tourism in the region.

Patil noted that Vijayapura airport is ready for launch, pending environmental clearance from the Centre and asked airlines to prepare for operations from the new airport.

During the meeting, Minister Patil announced that Star Air will resume Bidar-Bengaluru flight services from April 15, which had been suspended earlier for unspecified reasons.