Covid impact: All 30 outlets shut up shop at Chandigarh airport

Included high-end brands such as British multinational toy retailer Hamleys besides clothing brands Toscee, Pehnawa and Manyavar

Even as Chandigarh International Airport resumed its operations for domestic flights post lockdown on May 25 this year, in the past seven months all 30 outlets on its premises, including of high-end brands, have ceased operations owing to huge losses.

The company which was subletting the shops at the airport has pulled back, citing a loss of nearly ₹5 crore due to the pandemic. Now, the airport authorities are planning to rent out the shops directly, for which security clearance is awaited.

Some of the brands that have shut up shop are British multinational toy retailer Hamleys, footwear maker Tresmode, clothing brands Toscee, Pehnawa and Manyavar and ayurveda brands Patanjali and Kama. Even Sindhi Sweets owned two stores at the departure and arrival.

“Even we have suffered a loss of nearly ₹40 crore on various accounts in the past nine months. We will be renting out the shops directly and are waiting for security clearances,” said Ajay Bhardwaj, airport’s chief executive officer.

Before the lockdown was imposed in March this year to contain the Covid-19 pandemic spread, the airport saw at least 12,000 passengers, both at arrivals and departures, daily. The number has since come down to around 5,000, even as around 40 domestic flights have already resumed operations.

The airport was generating a total revenue of around ₹30 lakh daily, with the main source being the aeronautical category, whereby ₹800 per passenger is charged from the airlines. For instance, a Delhi-bound flight with 80% occupancy fetches about ₹65,000 to the airport. The other sources of revenue are retail shops, office spaces, vehicle parking, and advertisements.

Dubai, Sharjah flights resume

In some good news, international flights have resumed operations at the Chandigarh airport.

IndiGo’s Dubai flight is scheduled every Monday, while Air India Express’ Sharjah flight will operate every Saturday.

The Dubai flight will land here at 2:20pm and take off on its return journey at 5:10pm. The Sharjah flight is one-way for the time being, and will arrive here at 3pm.