Flight biz soars as leaders take to skies to hit poll ground

NEW DELHI: With politicians and political party representatives crisscrossing the country for the Lok Sabha polls, the demand for chartered planes and helicopters has jumped up to 40 per cent, and the operators are expected to net 15-20 per cent more earnings, according to industry experts.

The hourly rates for chartered services have also spiked. The charge is about Rs 4.5 -5.25 lakh for an aircraft and around Rs 1.5- 1.7 lakh for a twin engine helicopter, they said. While the demand has surged compared to the normal times and previous election years, there is lesser number of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters available. “There is an increase in demand for helicopters and it is up to 25 per cent more in the election period compared to the normal period. The supply is less compared to the demand,” Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) President (Western Region) Captain Uday Gelli said.

Generally, political parties use helicopters for their candidates and leaders to reach places in a shorter time, especially remote areas.

Gelli said the use of helicopters is being seen more in bigger states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) Managing Director Captain RK Bali said that the demand for chartered planes is 30-40 per cent higher compared to the previous general polls.

The bookings for chartered planes are done in advance and operators will be looking for maximum utilisation of aircraft. “There is always a gap between supply and demand. Some entities are looking to wet lease planes and helicopters to meet the demand,” Bali said.

Helicopter use is charged on an hourly basis and the operators generally insist on booking by political parties for a specific number of days and a minimum number of flying hours every day. “Normally, the hourly rate for single engine helicopters is around Rs 80,000 to 90,000 while it is about Rs 1.5 to 1.7 lakh for twin engine helicopters,” Bali said. During election times the earnings of the chartered plane operators are likely to be 15-20 per cent, higher compared to the normal times, he added.

During election time, the rate for single engine helicopters is higher at up to Rs 1.5 lakh while it is up to Rs 3.5 lakh for twin engine helicopters

—Captain Uday Gelli, Rotary Wing Society of India president