The Flip Side

The lowdown on what ails regional airlines in India

Regional carriers are not allowed to fly to metro routes beyond their own region (South, East, West and North)

Aviation is a business of scale. Most regional carriers face problems in scaling up due to financial constraints

Regional carriers don’t get the most lucrative leasing deals, unlike large carriers such as IndiGo and GoAir

The government’s ambitious UDAN programme is likely to be a non-starter for regional airlines

The large carriers are also increasingly focusing on regional destinations, limiting regional carriers' room to grow