Lufthansa's Kolkata-Frankfurt flight coming

Formal announcement likely in March; flights may commence this November

BY A CORRESPONDENT
February 10, 2006

Kolkata-Frankfurt direct flights may become operational as early as November this year. Werner Heesen, general manager (passenger sales, India) and director (Southeast Asia), Lufthansa, announced in the city that "In the beginning, we intend to operate three flights a week. We will try to build it up to daily flights." The airline has shown interest in operating flights from Kolkata in the last few months.

West Bengal Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has assured his full support to the German airline. Commenting on the talks the airlines has been having with the state government on Tuesday, Heesen said, "We met the CM and chief secretary today and will meet the business community, chambers of commerce and state industry and commerce minister before initiating the flight from the city."

Heesen also said that a formal announcement will be made in March, as the airlines is studying the region and conducting detailed surveys on the traffic situation and the number of passengers, in addition to the economic viability of the project. Heesen, who has visited the city twice in the last six months, emphasized that plans for the operation would depend on the availability of flights.

Lufthansa currently operates flights in five major Indian cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. According to the Statesman News Service, in response to questions about the airport strike, Heesen was quick to point out that flights from these cities had left on schedule.