On record
Built as the Northeast's first greenfield hill airport and inaugurated by PM Modi in 2018 as an engineering showpiece, Pakyong has repeatedly gone dark on scheduled commercial service. The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed to Parliament that no scheduled flights operated from the airport since June 2024, with an MP describing it as "totally non-operational" since May 2024, despite the runway remaining licensed.
The official record states: "Ministry of Civil Aviation stated "airline companies are free to decide on routes and markets based on their commercial and operational viability," citing weather limitations and no pending airline applications to restart scheduled flights."
“An engineering showpiece in the hills that keeps going dark. The runway is fine, the timetable is the problem.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/sikkim-news/no-scheduled-flights-operated-from-sikkim-airport-since-june-says-ministry
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/pathankot-ludhiana-shimla-among-15-udan-airports-with-no-flight-operation/
Visitor reviews Satire
“A greenfield hill airport with a licensed runway, a full terminal and no scheduled flights since June 2024.”
“Drove the thirty kilometres from Gangtok to see the engineering showpiece. The security staff outnumbered the passengers by all of them.”
“The ministry says airlines are free to decide on commercial viability, and they have decided.”