AirAsia has canceled its only international service from Veer Savarkar International Airport, ending the direct link between Port Blair and Kuala Lumpur. This decision leaves the island without international flights, raising concerns about the airport’s future as a global gateway. With no other international flights, Veer Savarkar Airport may soon lose its international status, isolating the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from global air travel.
The final flight, AirAsia AK54, departed from Port Blair on April 10, 2025, heading to Kuala Lumpur. The service, which began in November 2024, lasted only five months. The route aimed to connect Southeast Asia and boost tourism, business, and medical travel to the islands. However, its closure highlights the challenges of maintaining air services to remote destinations.
The cancellation likely resulted from low demand, high operating costs, and logistical issues. Without sufficient marketing and interest, the route struggled to remain profitable. Despite these challenges, the service had sparked initial hopes for greater global connectivity, with early flights attracting international attention.
The modernized Veer Savarkar Airport, capable of handling millions of passengers annually, now faces underutilization. Without a sustainable international service, questions about the airport’s future grow louder. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, once optimistic about the route, now wonder how to restore or replace this essential connection to the outside world.
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