Air Deccan now moots no-frills airports

Hyderabad: After low-cost airlines, it is now time for low-cost commercial airports. At least that is what Air Deccan managing director Capt G R Gopinath believes and is working on.
Gopinath kicked off an exercise with Andhra Pradesh on Sunday on the sidelines of the ongoing 55th Indian Travel Congres to get state governments to invest in no-frills airports to expand the airline map. While small cities like Cuddapah and Warangal in the state are the immediate targets for such low-cost commercial airports, there is scope for at least six to seven such “bush strips,” Gopinath impressed upon Andhra chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
The two are slated to meet again next week to take the proposal forward, with Gopinath presenting a detailed proposal.
The country has at least 450 airports, most of them grass strips, which are underutilised or in fact not used at all. Most of these can be effectively mobilised to cater to the burgeoning air travel industry, Gopinath stressed.
04/09/06 Daily News & Analysis

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