Srinagar: For the first time, night flights would be operated from Srinagar and Jammu airports from April 21.

`Go Airlines’ will park two A-320 NEO aircrafts each at Jammu and Srinagar airports. This is to ensure that late-night and early morning take-offs are hassle-free. It is for the first time airports will have night parking facilities for aircraft.

G8 flight number 1019 will leave Delhi at 6.30 pm and arrive at Jammu airport at 8 pm. Likewise, G8 flight 1020 will leave Jammu airport at 7.30 am and arrive in Delhi at 9 am.

G8 flight number 5011  will leave Delhi at 7.05 pm and arrive at Srinagar airport at  8.35 pm. G8 flight number 5022 will leave Srinagar airport at 7 am and arrive at Delhi airport at 8.35 am

“The Competent Authority has accorded approval for night parking permission of two A-320 NEO aircraft for five months starting April 6. In case Go Airlines fails to utilize the allotted night parking permission within stipulated five months, and requests for further extension of time, the approval will be subject to levy of penalty of Rs 5000 per day oper aircraft plus applicable taxes,” reads an AAI order.

Last week, Srinagar airport achieved another milestone after a record number of passengers were handled on Wednesday. Around 16110 passengers arrived and departed from the airport on Wednesday. As many as 8178 passengers arrived on 50 flights. Likewise, 7932 passengers departed on 50 flights.

Last week, Srinagar airport set a new record by operating 102 flights on Monday. As many as 7305 passengers arrived on 51 flights. Likewise, 7895 passengers departed on 51 flights.

Kashmir is presently witnessing a booming tourism season and around 1.8 lakh tourists visited the Valley in March alone last month. This is the largest number of tourists to have visited Kashmir in the last 10 years. officials are expecting a further increase in the footfalls in the coming months.

Sources told The Kashmir Monitor that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was personally monitoring the tourist footfalls in the union territory.