The aviation sector in thenortheasthas taken a big leap forward amid the Covid crisis with passenger and aircraft movement registering 85% recovery. Freight transport has already reached pre-Covid levels, said official sources at the Authority of India’s (AAI) NE regional office.
Just before the outbreak of Covid-19 in India, while the number of aircraft movement in NE airports was 7,173 in February 2020, the same has gone up to 6,382 in October this year after months of no flights. During the same time, passenger footfall, which had dipped by more than half to 3.13 lakh in July 2021, has again touched over 7.04 lakh this October. In February last year, the corresponding figure was 8 lakh.
A boost in passenger air connectivity to Lilabari will ease Communication with the northeastern part ofAssamand even parts of neighbouringArunachal Pradesh.