Soon! North East region to get services of a new airline under UDAN 4.0: AAI

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports in the North East Region (AAI-NER) are set to get the services of a new airline under UDAN 4.0. The new name in the domestic airline sector, which is already operating routes under UDAN and is planning to take its services to the North East is a regional Airline- FlyBig.

The CEO of FlyBig airline Srinivas Rao informed that the airline is very enthusiastic about their first operations in this beautiful part of the country.

The routes which are likely to operate initially will be from LGBI Airport, Guwahati- 

    Guwahati- Passighat & return
    Guwahati- Tezu-Imphal & back Guwahati
    Tezpur- Lengpui 

All the above-mentioned sectors will have ATR- 72 type aircraft in operation, as informed by the Airlines. Guwahati-Rupsi-Kolkota route has also been planned after Rupsi Airport opens for flight operations.

Elaborating on the services, AAI-NER's Regional Executive Director (RED) JT Radhakrishna (Officiating) said that the FlyBig airline's services are expected to be operational after mid-November this year. However, some new routes may also be made operational through the same airline by the end of this year or next year.

Read also: Air traffic in North East Region grows faster after unlock guidelines

Smaller aircraft are the future of UDAN programme and as far as the North East Region is concerned, more routes are expected to be open for regional connectivity as identified by Govt under UDAN 4.0. "On the occasion, we welcome new airline FLyBig in the region and expect their daily regular services here," Radhakrishna added.

These aircraft have about 42 to 80 seating capacity which is favourable for regional connectivity and suitable for smaller airports.

This is to mention that out of 78 routes identified by the Ministry of Civil Aviation under UDAN 4.0 programme, the North-East Region has got 40 routes which will increase intra-regional connections.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Telegram. Join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram and stay updated)