On record
A modern ₹80-crore terminal was built at this desert-tourism airport, but for years it sat almost entirely idle: SpiceJet withdrew flights for lack of demand and GoAir/IndiGo declined to start any, leaving conveyor belts gathering dust with zero scheduled commercial traffic through much of the 2010s. Even after traffic finally picked up (2.4 lakh passengers in the 2025-26 winter season), the airport still closes every year for roughly six months, most recently from March 29, 2026, stranding tourism operators each time.
The official record states: "Airlines cited insufficient off-season passenger demand to sustain year-round operations; a 2015 aviation analyst suggested "if that too doesn't work, it's better to lock up the airport and redeploy staff.""
“An ₹80-crore terminal that spent years with dust on the conveyor belts and no airline willing to land.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://www.thequint.com/news/india/in-pictures-jaisalmers-ghost-airport-a-rs-80-cr-white-elephant
- https://www.etvbharat.com/en/state/civil-flight-services-temporarily-suspended-for-next-six-months-on-jaisalmer-airport-enn26032902588
Visitor reviews Satire
“Eighty crore of terminal that spent years with dust settling on the conveyor belts and no airline willing to land.”
“It shuts for about six months every year, so tour operators plan their season around the airport's own holidays.”
“One analyst suggested locking it up and redeploying the staff, which is more or less what happens each March.”