Buzz back at airport as 35 flights from 6 hotspot cities bring 5,000 back to Kolkata after 2 months

KOLKATA: The buzz returned to Kolkata airport on Tuesday after two months with the addition of 35 flights that flew in more than 5,000 passengers from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Nagpur. The state government had banned flights from these six cities to Bengal from July 6.
“The flight was packed to capacity. The fact that passengers from another 5.30am flight were accommodated in the same aircraft after the former was cancelled, contributed to the extra load. We were so relieved when the flight finally departed for Kolkata at 4.30am. We are happy to be back home after so many months,” said Dibyendu Chatterjee, an IT professional who reached Kolkata airport in the first flight with his wife Ankita.
Businessman Rajeev Kumar Gupta, who has to hop between Delhi and Kolkata for work, was also one among the 170 passengers on the first flight. “I did not return to Kolkata to avoid a detour via other airports. Now that direct flights have resumed, it will be hugely beneficial,” said Gupta.