More carriers plan to return to the skies

Mumbai: A clutch of small passenger and cargo airlines is raring to return to the skies.
The Gurgaon-based MDLR Airlines Pvt. Ltd, that suspended operations in the first week of October, contemplates restarting in January. Similarly, Jagson Airlines Ltd, that got its licence to operate as a regional airline in the early 2009 but never took off, now plans to start commercial operations on 15 February.
“We have already got the permission to import one Avro RJ85 aircraft for our regional operations. The plan is to connect Srinagar, Leh, Ranchi, Patna and some other points of Himachal Pradesh from Delhi,” Jagson Airlines’ chief executive officer Koustav M. Dhar told Mint on Friday.
Dhar was most recently with MDLR Airlines as its chief operating officer that was flying three Avro jets with 70 seats made by BAE Systems, Inc.
“MDLR will be ready for operations in January. Of the three aircraft, one is fully functional and the second will join the fleet soon after minor maintenance,” said Harsh Vardhan, chairman of Starair Consulting Pvt. Ltd, that is advising at least five airlines including MDLR.
Vardhan, former chief executive of wound-up state-owned feeder airline Vayudoot, advises MDLR, Luan Airways Pvt. Ltd and three other regional airlines.
“In three months, Luan Airways lines will start flying based out of Surat,” Vardhan said, adding in next six months, three more regional carriers from Uttarakhand, Orissa and the North-East will start flying.
In 2007, the civil aviation ministry introduced a policy for small start-ups to connect small towns, complementing national operators. It has given permission to several start-ups, including ZAV Airways Pvt. Ltd, Star Aviation, MDLR, Jagson Airlines and King Air Pvt. Ltd.
An executive at Flyington Freighters Pvt. Ltd, promoted by a Hyderabad-based business family said his airline would launch operations in the first half of 2010.
Apart from these players, Star Aviation Pvt. Ltd, that was to start operations?in?early 2009 from Chennai, has recently obtained an initial “no objection certificate” (NOC) from the ministry of civil aviation extending the deadline to start operations till 2 June 2010. Dedicated freight carriers such as Aryan Cargo Express Pvt. Ltd and Quikjet Cargo Airlines Pvt. Ltd too have obtained similar extensions.
25/12/09 P.R. Sanjai/Live Mint

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Categories: New Dec 2009, Regional Airlines Dec 2008