Bathinda to get air connectivity to Jammu under UDAN 2

Bathinda: With Bathinda set to get the second air route to Jammu under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS), the devotees going towards Jammu and Kashmir for religious tourism have become a happy lot. Bathinda is the only city in Punjab having been selected under the 'Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN 2) scheme for second tier cities. So far, Bathinda has air connectivity to Delhi only.
The Bathinda airport, after hanging fire for over two years, started operations in December 2016, just ahead of the assembly elections. It was then that thrice-weekly flight to Delhi was started.

2 airlines will fly to Vellore, Thanjavur

Chennai:  Travellers will soon be able to fly from Chennai to Vellore and Thanjavur on 70-80 seater planes as two airlines have bagged rights to start services on the routes under phase 2 of regional connectivity scheme, Udan. Union minister of civil aviation Ashok Gajapati Raju awarded the routes to the airlines which won bids at a function held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
SpiceJet will start services on the Chennai-Thanjavur route, while Turbo Aviation will operate from Vellore to the city.

Direct flight from Udaipur to Jaisalmer soon

Udaipur will soon be connected with a direct flight to Jaisalmer under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), also known as UDAN. Indigo has won the bid for Hindon-Jaisalamer-Udaipur in the second round of bidding under the scheme.

UDAN (ude des ka aam nagrik) is a Government scheme to facilitate affordable regional connectivity by air. Aviation ministry recently awarded 325 routes under the scheme with participation from Jet Airways, Indigo, SpiceJet and Alliance Air.

Indigo won 20 sectors including Hindon-Jaisalamer-Udaipur. Similarly SpiceJet was awarded 20 sectors.
To Read the News in Full 26/01/18 Udaipur Times

AirAsia India flew 4.4 million passengers in 2017

Bengaluru: Budget passenger carrier AirAsia India flew 4.44 million passengers during the calendar year 2017, 81 per cent more passengers than during 2016, the company said on Friday. “AirAsia India carried 4.44 million passengers from January to December 2017, recording an average load factor (measure of airline’s capacity utilisation) of 87 per cent for the year,” the company said in a statement announcing the quarterly results of AirAsia Berhad. Headquartered in Bengaluru, AirAsia India is a joint venture between Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia Berhad and Tata Sons.

TN cities to get connected by air in UDAN scheme

Chennai: The government has awarded 90 routes to airlines as well as helicopter operators, enhancing air connectivity to 73 new airports and helipads in tier 2 and tier 3 cities to operate flight and chopper services to destinations like Kargil, Darbhanga, Pakyong (Gangtok), Cooch Behar, Jorhat and Almora.

Subsequently, airfare on these routes for one hour journey of 500 km on a fixed-wing aircraft flight or for a 30 minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs 2,500.

“Udan-II has addressed the problem of (air connectivity in the) difficult areas (which are) basically areas with hilly tracks, where road connectivity is low or probably has no train connectivity,” Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said. ” We will connect 29 unserved airports, 13 underserved airports to 36 served airports and 31 helipads. This is the first time that helicopter (services) are coming under Udan.”

Udan-2 service from Hubballi Airport to give boost to industry, tourism

Industrial and tourism activities in North Karnataka are set to get a much-needed boost in the days to come, as Hubbali is set to get air connectivity to Ahmedabad, Goa, Pune, Chennai, Kannur and Hindan air base in the next couple of months.
After Hubbali airport was developed up to international standards, hopes were riding high among people to see more industrial activities in the region. Now, it has got wings with the central government announcing the Udan 2 service from Hubbali airport.
In the next two-three months, people of North Karnataka can travel by air to various destinations at an affordable cost, by utilizing seats under the Udan quota. Flights will be operated to Ahmedabad, Cochin, Goa and Kannur by Indigo airlines; to Hindan air base by Ghodawat air lines and Spicejet; Alliance Air and Indigo will operate flights to Chennai from Hubballi. This apart, Koppal, a backward district, will also be connected to capital cities in the country via air.

Soon, MNC restaurant at Bhopal airport for quality food

Bhopal: Now, passengers at Bhopal airport are all set to get delicious cuisines of international standard. A quality food outlet is likely to come up in the next two months as part of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) scheme of master concessionaire.
A team of architect and the Kanpur-based food company officials visited the airport recently to check what kind of outlets could be set up at the airport. At present, the airport has a small outlet constructed on 28 sqm area. This will be extended to 149sqm under the master concessionaire concept.
The director of Bhopal airport Flt Lft Akashdeep Mathur said the airport currently has a handful of vendors which bid separately to set up food stalls and retail outlets.

‘First flight from Jewar likely by December 2021’

The first flight from the second airport in the National Capital Region at Jewar could take off as early as December 2021, Civil aviation secretary R N Choubey said on Wednesday. Choubey, along with senior officials of Airports Authority of India, visited the site of the upcoming airport on Tuesday to assess the progress of the project.

The proposed international airport at Jewar is considered to relieve the congested Indira Gandhi International Airport here, which is inching towards full capacity in terms of passengers it can handle. Currently, the airport handles 60 million passengers every year. In 2017, Delhi airport handled an average of 1,350 flights every day in 2017.

“Yesterday, we spent five hours over there. You will be surprised, land is the most difficult item to get, but the people of that area want to give their land for this because it will lead to a boom in that area.

You can soon fly to Kargil! Here’s how

The snowy peaks of Kargil will now just be a flight away thanks to the Regional Connectivity Scheme (or RCS) that aims to make air travel accessible to the masses. As part of the scheme, popularly known as UDAN (or Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), the Ministry of Civil Aviation awarded as many as 325 routes to 15 airlines and helicopter services. Thanks to the scheme, you can soon book cheap flights to Kargil.

This is the second phase of UDAN, which covers distant towns such as Darbhanga in Bihar, Pakyong in Sikkim, Cooch Behar in West Bengal, Jorhat in Assam and Almora in Uttarakhand to larger cities. These are among the 73 unserved or undeserved airports and helipads located across 19 states that will be connected to the 36 existing ones.

Udan: Flights to link Solapur with Bangalore and Hyderabad

Mumbai: Solapur airport will soon be connected to Bangalore and Hyderabad airports under phase-II of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). While SpiceJet will connect the airport to Bangalore, Alliance Air would connect it to Hyderabad.

On Wednesday, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Raju announced that the airports would be connected under phase-II of the RCS. While Solapur was included in Phase-I of the scheme, officials said an operational hurdle
delayed starting of flights on the route.

“There is a chimney coming in the flight path at the airport. We are still in talks with the company to demolish the chimney as early as possible,” Valsa Nair, the secretary, civil aviation said. “We see tremendous potential in the routes that we have been awarded and look forward to beginning operations very soon,” said Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet.
To Read the News in Full 25/01/18 Indian Express

IndiGo, Jet Airways shine in second round of regional air connectivity scheme

The results of second round of bidding under regional connectivity flights UDAN scheme that seeks to connect unserved areas of the country were announced on Wednesday by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju.  Jet Airways and IndiGo have won rights to operate UDAN flights. Reportedly, IndiGo has won 20 and Jet Airways has bagged four routes. Pawan Hans will also operate helicopter services under UDAN scheme. The union minister informed that second bidding round of UDAN scheme will connect 43 airports and helipads in the government’s priority sector i.e. north east and the hill states. The states with maximum number of airports and helipads which will see activation under UDAN 2 scheme include Uttarakhand (15), Uttar Pradesh (9), Arunachal Pradesh (8) and Himachal Pradesh (6) and Assam and Manipur (5 each). The round two of regional connectivity scheme  will connect 43 new airports and helipads and add 29 lakh seats annually.

Bengal Govt speeds up process for setting up regional airports

Kolkata: The West Bengal Government has expedited the process of developing airports in Malda, Purulia and Balurghat.

The State Public Works Department (PWD) is carrying out the developmental work.

It is learnt that a completely new airport in Malda, on the existing one spread across 114 acres of land, will come up at a projected cost of Rs 13 crore.

Among other infrastructural facilities, an administrative building and an all-new air traffic control (ATC) will be set up.
The development of the other regional airports will cost a similar amount.
To Read the News in Full 25/01/18 UNI

UDAN II to link 43 airports: Aviation Minister

New Delhi: Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju today said the UDAN Phase 2 has dealt with difficult issues. Speaking at a press conference to announce the second round of winners under the regional air connectivity scheme, he said: UDAN 2 will connect 43 airports and helipads in our priority sector, the North-East and the hill states.

Minister of State Jayant Sinha said 4-5 cities were seeing explosion in flights under Udan II. These include Hubli and Kopal in Karnataka. UDAN I and II is expected to cost the government over Rs. 800 crore annually.

UDAN-II will see ‘explosion in air connectivity’: Sinha

New Delhi:  After the second round of bidding, more airlines are going to become a part of the government’s regional air connectivity (RCS) scheme.

IndiGo, Jet Airways and Zoom Air have won the right to operate flights under the UDAN scheme in the second round. They join Alliance Air and SpiceJet both of whom have won the right to operate more flights under UDAN II.

Jayant Sinha, Minister for State for Civil Aviation, announced that four to five cities around the country including Koppal and Hubballi in Karnataka will see an “explosion in air connectivity”.

Turbo Aviation has won the right to operate flights from Baldota/Koppal to Bengaluru, Goa and Hyderabad while IndiGo has won the right to fly from Baldota/Koppal to Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kochi.

Air India to launch non-stop Amritsar-Birmingham flights twice a week

New Delhi: Flyers between Amritsar and Birmingham all no longer have to transit through Delhi. Air India is starting non-stop flights Birmingham from Amritsar twice a week from February 20, using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
"The new flight will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The flight will leave Amritsar at 1.55 pm hrs and reach Birmingham at 5.15 pm (all local timings).