Dabolim Airport is the one and only airport in Goa which is the 9th biggest airport in India with a heavy inflow of foreign and domestic travellers. Basically it is a military airbase also functioning as a civilian airport. Dabolim Airport gives a variety of suitable modes of transport to travel between the city and the airport. There are shuttle services to taxis to rental car services for better commutation.
Location of Dabolim Airport
Dabolim Airport is situated in a seaside in the Indian state of Goa. It is 4 kilometres from the nearest city of Vasco da Gama, 23 kilometres from Margao, and about 30 kilometres from the state capital Panjim.
History of Dabolim Airport
Dabolim airport has a history unlike any other Indian airports. The Dabolim Airport was constructed during the 1950s on 249 acres by the government of the Estado da `India Portuguesa. Until 1961, it served as the chief centre of the Portuguese India`s airline TAIP (Transportes Aéreos da Ãndia Portuguesa), which on a regular schedule served Daman and Diu, Karachi, Mozambique, Portuguese Timor and other destinations.
During the Indian invasion of Goa, in December 1961, the airport was attacked by the Indian Air Force with parts of the infrastructure being destroyed. In April 1962, it was occupied by the Indian Navy`s air wing and the Indian Navy along with the Government of India invited the public sector airline to operate at Dabolim from 1966. A new domestic terminal building was built in 1983, designed to process 350 arrivals and departures at the same time, while the international terminal, built in 1996 was designed for 250. Goa hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1983 and the charter flight business began to take off at Dabolim a few years later, pioneered by Condor Airlines of Germany. In 2006, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry announced a plan to upgrade Dabolim Airport.
Architecture Of Dabolim Airport
Dabolim Airport is spread over 688 hectares and consists of a civil enclave of nearly 14 hectares. The civil enclave is operated by the Airports Authority of India. The Navy`s premises stand astride the Dabolim runway. One point near the terminal constrains the enlargement of aircraft parking space.
There is a very large deliberation of civilian traffic in the period between 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm during weekdays, with the balance in the early morning hours. This is because of naval constraints for military flight training purposes all over the year. The huge demand during the peak Christmas/ New Year tourist season results in the sharp spiking of air fares during this period. Its incorporated terminal building handles both international and domestic passengers. It was opened in December 2013. The building design features aesthetic glass, large steel span structures and frameless glazing. The 62,000 square metre terminal is designed to cater to 5 million passengers once a year. It is equipped with 8 aerobridges. It has 75 check-in counters, 22 immigration counters for departures, 18 immigration counters for arrivals, 14 security check booths and 8 customs counters. The old terminal buildings were shut down after the commissioning of the new terminal.
Airlines Of Dabolim Airport
Some of the major airlines of Dabolim Airport are Air Arabia, Air India, AirAsia India, Finnair, Qatar Airways, TUI Airlines, SpiceJet, Jet Airways, IndiGo, GoAir and so on.
Visiting Information Of Dabolim Airport
Dabolim Airport has a train station that is 1 kilometre from the terminals. The Indian Rail line goes to Margoa, about 45 minutes away, as well as to Vasco da Gama, about 2 miles (4 kilometres) from the airport. There are public buses that leave from just outside the airport terminal every half hour.
