Air Odisha Aviation Pvt Ltd, a company floated by Odia entrepreneurs, has firmed up plans to start commercial flight operations connecting Bhubaneswar with important industrial hubs in the state and also with select destinations of tourist importance in eastern India.
The company looks to start its operations with a nine-seater, no-frills carrier from September this year. Initially, it will offer connectivity between the city and places of industrial activity like Rourkela, Jharsuguda and Jeypore. Mine rich locations like Barbil and Angul also figure on the company's radar and operations to these places will be introduced depending on viability.
Air Odisha is also looking beyond the state. It is eyeing destinations like Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata, Ranchi, Raipur, Jamshedpur, Tirupati and Shirdi after procuring a 19-seater aircraft.
“The fare would range from Rs 4000-6000 per head for travel within the state and also to eastern India cities. For Shirdi and Tirupati, we would charge Rs 12,000. Flight operations to Shirdi are expected to begin by December this year,” said a company official.
“We have already obtained the no objection certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for running non-scheduled air operations,” he added. The company has sought waiver of ground charges for use of airstrips managed by the government. It has also suggested that aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to be used by aircrafts need to be tax free to ensure that it is economically viable for tourists to travel by air.
