DOHA
Many Goans believe that Qatar Airways will lose a large chunk of business by shifting base from Dabolim to Mopa, while it could also affect tourism in South Goa.
“Many of seamen friends from South Goa have drawn up plans to ditch Qatar Airways and shift to other airlines which will take them to Dabolim Airport. In the long run, Qatar Airways will lose a large number of loyal customers,” opined Fermino Pereira from Benaulim.
“Ideally, they should have done a proper study and sought feedback from customers before shifting to Mopa.”
“If you take the data into account most of the people working in the shipping industry in various cruise liners are from South Goa, even those NRI Goans who are based in Europe are either from South Goa or Tiswadi taluka and a small number from Bardez, so the majority of passengers after embarking from Dabolim will be heading to South Goa,” he added.
Fermino said that one should understand the plight of passengers from Canacona or Karwar who are landing at Mopa Airport.
“Many of our seamen colleagues are from Canacona and if they land up at Mopa it will mean they have to pay extra costs for the taxi fare from Mopa to Canacona which I believe will be close to Rs 5,000. For those heading to Karwar from Mopa it will be a few thousands more.”
South Goa tourism will suffer
Fermino feels many western tourists heading to Goa will prefer to head to North Goa over South Goa, and if they are travelling by Qatar Airways, South Goa tourism will suffer.
His fellow villager UK-based Jorge Goes agrees that Qatar Airways shifting to Mopa will adversely affect South Goa tourism.
He says the move is to promote Mopa Airport and to develop North Goa but laments that the Goa government has no long-term vision when it comes to development
“Our government has no vision. They should have connected North and South Goa with super-fast trains, shuttle express buses etc. There is no long-term planning,” added the former hockey player.
For Qatar-based Martin Mascarenhas, the change in airport will not make much of a difference but his heart beats for South Goans and those from the far-flung areas of Sanguem, Canacona, Quepem and other parts of South Goa.
“I am from Bardez. We are in the middle. It takes 35 minutes from Mopa and 45 minutes from Dabolim but during night time only,” Martin, a long-time resident of Qatar.
“People from South Goa will suffer the most, we only hope that some airlines will still operate from Dabolim like, Gulf Air, Air Arabia etc.”
Peter Pereira says if one takes the Qatar Airways flight it will be more expensive to reach Goa.
“I will be using Gulf Air. It is offering cheap rates and taking us to Dabolim airport. Although it is a connecting flight from Doha. It is a better option in terms of fares and time spent travelling on the road from Mopa to Marcela and spending more on taxi fares.”
“You can carry more luggage as well,” he adds.
Foreign tourists also wary
With many middle-aged foreign tourists including those from the Scandinavian countries and Europe preferring the serene South Goa over much noisier North Goa heading to Galgibaga, Rajbag and Patnem beaches, the road travel will put a big hole in their pockets.
Retired teacher Michale, a regular visitor from Switzerland to Goa and heading to Galgibaga, is concerned about the move.
“I travelled to Goa in November last year on the Qatar Airways flight, it was a nice and pleasant journey. Certainly, I will have to think twice before going by the Qatar Airways flight which will land at Mopa. I will look for other airlines which take me to Dabolim Airport.”
Local shack owners worried
Many local hoteliers and beach shack owners are worried but feel that is not the end to the solution.
“We will advise all our guests not to use Qatar Airways but the other airlines which land at Dabolim Airport, after all we have to look at our guest’s comfort, we will advise them accordingly. Hopefully there are a lot of options in place for the foreign guests when it comes to foreign airlines heading to Dabolim airport,” said Dominic Afonso, a shack owner from Benaulim.
“The corporates are actively working with the Government to gradually close down the Dabolim airport thus putting the people from South Goa into inconvenience,” added a south Goa resident Rudolf Baretto.
