Pune: The regional connectivity scheme, popularly called UDAN, is yet to take wing in the state though the Centre announced it almost three years ago.
An Airports Authority of India (AAI) status report revealed that of the total 48 routes finalized in Maharashtra as part of the scheme, flights have started in 23 sectors. The remaining 25 routes have been taken up by different airlines, but they are still to start flights.
The Centre had launched the scheme in April 2017 to connect unserved and underserved airports and airstripsin thesmaller citiesto different destinations. In Maharashtra, around 29 such facilities had been listed for the airlines to choose from.
Of the six routes various airlines had chosen to start flights to and from the Pune airport, only two are currently operational. One of the routes is the Pune-Nashik sector where Alliance Air recently startedservice.Theother oneisthe Pune-Belgavi route, also started by Alliance Air.
Airlines such as IndiGo, Spice-Jet and Star Air were supposed to start flights to Allahabad, Bhavnagar (SpiceJet) and Hubli (both SpiceJet and Star Air). But these routes are yet to become operational, the status report stated.
“Starting troubles due to nonavailability of slots at the busy airports, inadequate infrastructure, delays faced by airlines in procuring additional aircraft and resourcing licensed crew are expected during theinitial years,” aviation analyst Dhairyashil Vandekar said.
“The service had shown promise and the 25-odd new routes started connecting hitherto unutilised airports in Nashik, Kolhapur and Nanded and others to follow must be looked at as a gain,” he added.
Sources said some airlines had failed to deliver, leading to further complications. “For example, Pune-Nashik flights had started but were shut after operational issues. The route eventually went to Alliance Air,” an airline source said.
29/12/19 Times of India
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An Airports Authority of India (AAI) status report revealed that of the total 48 routes finalized in Maharashtra as part of the scheme, flights have started in 23 sectors. The remaining 25 routes have been taken up by different airlines, but they are still to start flights.
The Centre had launched the scheme in April 2017 to connect unserved and underserved airports and airstripsin thesmaller citiesto different destinations. In Maharashtra, around 29 such facilities had been listed for the airlines to choose from.
Of the six routes various airlines had chosen to start flights to and from the Pune airport, only two are currently operational. One of the routes is the Pune-Nashik sector where Alliance Air recently startedservice.Theother oneisthe Pune-Belgavi route, also started by Alliance Air.
Airlines such as IndiGo, Spice-Jet and Star Air were supposed to start flights to Allahabad, Bhavnagar (SpiceJet) and Hubli (both SpiceJet and Star Air). But these routes are yet to become operational, the status report stated.
“Starting troubles due to nonavailability of slots at the busy airports, inadequate infrastructure, delays faced by airlines in procuring additional aircraft and resourcing licensed crew are expected during theinitial years,” aviation analyst Dhairyashil Vandekar said.
“The service had shown promise and the 25-odd new routes started connecting hitherto unutilised airports in Nashik, Kolhapur and Nanded and others to follow must be looked at as a gain,” he added.
Sources said some airlines had failed to deliver, leading to further complications. “For example, Pune-Nashik flights had started but were shut after operational issues. The route eventually went to Alliance Air,” an airline source said.
29/12/19 Times of India
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