From Chennai, there might not be flights to smaller towns now
Posted on: 10/Jan/2019 10:04:22 AM
For those people who have been thinking of flying from Chennai to smaller towns like Vellore, Neyveli etc in TN this news would be tough to swallow. The news is it might take longer for the airlines Air Odisha to fly between the smaller towns in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is well known that Air Odisha has won the routes under the regional connectivity scheme. The shocking information collected was this Air Odisha airlines have been prohibited from flying by DGCA or Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
It must not be forgotten that Air Odisha airlines made many heads turn when it won bids to fly from Chennai to Neyveli, Chennai to Puducherry, Salem to Puducherry, Chennai to Mysuru, Salem to Bengaluru and Chennai to Kadapa etc during the first phase of Udan scheme. It is revealed that this airline had got into trouble and has stopped flying. The truth is DGCA has not renewed the license of Air Odisha as it was not operational. There were also other airlines that have won Udan routes in other states and DGCA had not renewed the licences of these airlines also. As the airline that won the routes is no longer operating it would be difficult to rope in other airlines to fly on these routes.
Under the regional connectivity scheme, the flights from Chennai have already started to places like Mysuru, Kadappa, Hubli etc. The trouble faced by the airline Air Odisha is causing the routes within the state of TN to be affected now. It must be taken into account that Neyveli airport was getting ready for operations of 20 seater planes in this year.
As per an official belonging to the airport, the routes might have to be released for rebidding. He then added that the routes could be opened for other airlines by not including them under Udan scheme. He explained how in the route given to one airline under Udan scheme another airline was not allowed to start their services. The official finally hinted that Neyveli, Salem and Puducherry would get more flights if the airlines were ready to fly without viability gap funding benefits of Udan scheme.
