One after another the airlines have started deserting Goa
Goemkarponn desk
VASCO/ PERNEM:
When it comes to airport rivalry, not only are there airports in India trying to get the same airlines to visit them (in South India), but there are airports in the same geographic area now competing for traffic.
With the inauguration of the Goa Mopa Airport in 2023, Goa became the first geography to have two airports, one operated by the government-owned AAI (GOI) and the other operated by the private player GMR (GOX).
After Oman Air, now Qatar airways ahve also decided to shift operations to the new Mopa airport thus deserting the Dabolim airport.
Qatar Airways to transition operations from Goa International to Goa Mopa in June 2024
Qatar Airways announced that it would transition operations to the new Manohar International Airport (GOX) located in the North Goa district from the current Dabolim Airport (GOI) in South Goa, India, effective June 20, 2024. This route will be served with the same schedule of a direct daily flight operated on a mix of Airbus 320 and Boeing 787.
Qatar Airways is joining a list of airlines served by GOX, including strategic partners IndiGo and Oman Air. With its close proximity to hotels and public transportation, the new airport is set to deliver an enhanced passenger experience, the airline hopes. The transition from GOI and GOX heralds a superior airport experience for travellers on Qatar Airways’ network to over 170 destinations. GOX’s expansive airport experience is designed to reflect the exuberant nature of the local culture with its blend of contemporary and Goan architecture.
Qatar Airways is becoming one of the wins for GMR, with the announcement that the airline will switch operations from Goa’s older Dabolim airport to the new Mopa airport in June 2024. The other airlines that operate internationally from Mopa include Oman Air, Air India and IndiGo.
Airlines jumping ship from GOI to GOX for International flights into Goa
In July 2023, Air India became the first airline to swap their thrice weekly London operations from Goa to operate from the Manohar International Airport instead of the Dabolim Airport. Now, many other airlines have switched as well.
Oman Air: Oman Air, which was the first airline to have planned to move to Goa Mopa, has started with the winter schedule. The airline switched to Goa Manohar Airport on October 29, 2023.
Aeroflot Russian Airlines: Aeroflot, which resumed seasonal operations to India in October 2023, started flying to GOX instead of GOI with its six weekly flights. They will operate thrice weekly from Ekaterinburg (737) and Moscow Sheremetyevo (A333) each.
TUI Airways: Holiday specialist TUI Airways of the UK shifted to Mopa as of November 2023 when the seasonal flights start arriving into Goa. TUI will operate twice weekly from London Gatwick and Manchester into Mopa.
Despite Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s assurances that Dabolim will continue to operate, Airlines are determined that they can only operate to one airport in Goa, and accordingly, some airlines have started to switch from GOI to GOX.
More such announcements may follow shortly. So keep an eye on your itineraries out of Goa or to Goa for the appropriate airport.
