Polls lifted helicopter industry: Operators
MUMBAI: The 2021 elections proved beneficial for the growth of the helicopter industry. Helicopter flights operated for around 45 days exclusively for election purpose with more machines being used from March till mid-april, as compared to pre-pandemic elections, said operators.
Rajan Mehra, chief executive officer of Club One Air, said he saw a healthy growth of around 25% in March and April but added that elections were not the only reason for this increase in bookings. “There was increased travel to Dubai, Maldives and Europe, especially in the days before most countries announced travel bans from India due to the second wave. During elections, the most prominent increase was noticed for the Northeast and West Bengal, which contributed to around 40% of election flying, followed by Chennai, Karnataka and Puducherry,” Mehra said.
However, according to Gulab Singh, chairman of Saarthi Airways which operated helicopters only to West Bengal, the elections in the five states were dull when compared to previous ones. “We had around 250 flights in around 45 days. We had lesser rallies this time. Majority of the election flying was over by the first week of April,” Singh said.
Data collected from various private helicopter operators reveal that around 2,500 hours of flying took place in about 45 days during elections. According to the data sourced by operators, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) used 11 aircraft, followed by Congress and Trinamool Congress with six helicopters each, for campaign.
According to Captain Uday Gelli, president of Rotary Wing Society of India (western region), the situation was normal with respect to flying in March as
Covid-19 cases remained in control during the month. He said the industry could do a better business this election season.
“Initially in May, no one talked about the pandemic and hence flying was in full swing then. Rotary Wing Society of India estimates that during elections, helicopter operators seem to have flown three times more than the earlier elections, with the southern states seeing flying for 20 days while West Bengal saw flying for 45 maximum days. Corporate helicopters were also used for election flying, and it is estimated that they would have flown about 400 hours of the total 2,500 hours.