Wait for flights from Delhi to Hisar gets longer

PVT AIRLINE, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO START FLIGHTS FROM AUG 15, DENIED SUITABLE SLOT AT IGI AIRPORT IN DELHI

CHANDIGARH :Wait has got longer for the flights from Delhi to Hisar and Hisar to Chandigarh, which were to start over three months ago, as the private airline which planned it, has been denied a suitable slot to operate at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, New Delhi.

The private airline company was scheduled to fly on the said two routes from August 15 last, under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS)–UDAN of Union civil aviation ministry, though its plan hit the roadblock after the denial of a suitable slot due to congestion at IGI airport. It had planned six flights with a fair of about Rs 1,450 per passenger.

Additional chief secretary, civil aviation, Haryana, Devender Singh said that the private airliner was also subsequently offered to operate from Hindon airport (district Ghaziabad – Uttar Pradesh) which is about 40 kilometre from the IGI airport, it found the operations unviable. ``Nonetheless, we are ready to shortly float new bids under regional connectivity scheme (RCS)–UDAN with state subsidy’’, he added.

It may be recalled the state government also has plans to invite non-schedule operator permit (NSOP) holders to operate on mutually acceptable routes from Hisar civil airport, for which the state government would provide incentives and expects commercial operations to begin in near future. The state government is also said to be in advanced talks with Himachal Pradesh government for tie up for flights from Hisar to Shimla, Kullu and Dharamshala.