Air Sahara may add 100 weekly flights from Hyd

Major national, global airlines set to increase number of flights from city

The skies over Hyderabad are hotting up. A slew of national and international airlines are slated to increase the number of flights from and into the city.

The frontrunner in the airline pack will be Air Sahara, which is drawing up plans to increase the number of flights from the city to a whopping 100 plus per week, as compared to 28 at present.

At present, about 260 weekly flights operate out of the city, with Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and their subsidiaries running 77 weekly flights each.

S N Reddy, chief executive officer of Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy and a former aviation advisor to the state government, told Business Standard that Air Sahara was set to make this move some time in January, next year. "Air Sahara is expected to offer around 140 flights per week from Hyderabad," Reddy said.

"The flights will not only connect Hyderabad to the major cities of the country but will also touch international destinations like Colombo, Kathmandu and Dhaka," he said.

Sources in the chief minister's office also confirmed that Air Sahara was going to increase the number of flights from the city.

This apart, international airlines are also queuing up to expand their operations in the city.

Qatar Airways will be operating daily flights from the city to Saudi Arabia, from November 1, 2004. From February 18, next year, German carrier Lufthansa will offer three flights per week, on the Frankfurt-Hyderabad-Frankfurt route, Reddy said.

"Singapore Airlines also has firmed up plans to start operations between Hyderabad and Singapore from January 2005. A Boeing 777 aircraft with a seat capacity of 280, will be used for the proposed operations," he said.

So far, Singapore Airlines' subsidiary- Silk Air, has been operating from the city through its A-320 aircraft with a seat capacity of 140.

Saudi Arabian Airlines have recently been given permission to operate to/from Hyderabad within their existing country entitlements.

Reddy said that Saudi Arabian plans to operate four flights per week, from the city, from April next year. Currently, it has its operations only in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kochi.

Hyderabad has also been granted as an additional point to the British Carriers along with Bangalore and Kochi, designated airlines of Australia will also get access to Hyderabad, with effect from October 2006, according to the ministry of civil aviation.

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Hot skies

• Air Sahara to also touch Colombo, Kathmandu and Dhaka
• Qatar Airways to have daily flights to Saudi Arabia from Nov1
• Lufthansa to offer 3 flights per week on the Frankfurt-Hyderabad-Frankfurt route
• Singapore Airlines to start operations between Hyderabad and Singapore from January next year. A 280-seat capacity Boeing 777 aircraft will be used for the proposed operations
• Saudi Arabian Airlines plans to operate 4 flights per week from April 2005