Newz Desk, Durgapur: Air connectivity between Cooch Behar and Calcutta is set to take a hit yet again as IndiaOne Air has formally informed authorities that it will discontinue its services from January 31, 2026.
Confirming the development, airport director Subhashis Pal said on Monday, “IndiaOne Air will cease operations from Cooch Behar airport after January 31. We have received an official notification from the airline.”
According to sources, the carrier has cited “operational reasons” behind its decision to withdraw the flights ahead of schedule.
IndiaOne Air had launched the route on February 21, 2023, deploying a nine-seater aircraft under the Centre’s UDAN regional connectivity scheme. The service, originally contracted to continue until February 2026, is being terminated a year early.
Wings Clipped: Popular Cooch Behar-Calcutta Flight to Stop from Jan 31
Residents, Traders Express Concern
The announcement has triggered disappointment among local residents who had come to rely on the quick one-hour connection to Calcutta.
Biswajit Jha an educationist and social influencer from Cooch Behar said For people like us who travel to Kolkata frequently for work, this is a major setback. The flight saved us hours every week — we could finish meetings and return the same day. Now we’ll be back to spending 12-14 hours on train or road travel. It’s not just inconvenient, it affects business productivity too’
“The flights were always in demand and had become a convenient alternative to the long road or rail journey. With the service ending, we will again be dependent solely on trains and buses,” said Cooch Behar resident Moumita Deb.
Members of the business community fear that the closure could hamper trade and tourism in the region. They have urged both the state and central governments to intervene immediately.
“Before the airport falls into disuse once more, authorities must take steps to bring in another airline so that uninterrupted air service continues after February 2026,” said a local businessman.
Demand for New Operator Grows
Civic groups and trade bodies have echoed similar sentiments and called for swift action to ensure the airport doesn’t face another long period of inactivity. The push is now on for the government to initiate talks with other regional airlines to restore the crucial link at the earliest.
Image courtesy@internet
