Smaller Airlines' Growth Seen

Monday, 16th April 2012 at 04:34am

Smaller regional airlines are set to lead in the growth of India's civil aviation industry while larger carriers continue to struggle for sustainability. A number of aircraft manufacturers are presently courting these newest entrants in the airline sector.

In the past, regional airlines were confined to flying short haul charter flights. With airports mushrooming in smaller cities, these carrier companies are looking into entering commercial aviation space, airport developer Regional Airport Holdings International (RAHI) Ltd. head of commercial operations for Bengaluru, Saurabh Shah has said.

Many regional carriers, like the Bengaluru-based Deccan, New Delhi-based Religare Voyages and Hyderabad-based Turbo Aviation, are currently planning to launch their own commercial or quasi-commercial flights.

A Religare Voyages official has announced that the carrier has secured the permit to operate Mantra, a regional commercial airline that's initially geared to fly routes in northern India at a yet undisclosed date.

Meanwhile, Deccan has said it has already drawn up future plans to launch its own commercial airline, which may operate unscheduled flights to small towns in the short term.

Turbo, a Hyberabad-based regional carrier recently acquired a 19-seater plan from LET Aircraft Industries of Czechoslovakia, and plans to launch its service to tier-2 cities in Andhra Pradesh within the next four months.

According to LET"s commercial director, the planes they manufacture are created for India's rugged conditions, allowing each aircraft to land on unpaved surfaces even without an airstrip. The 19-seater plane is a low maintenance commuter aircraft with its high wing design ideal for the Indian air passenger market.

With the entry of smaller and short-haul planes that can handle landing on shorter runways, and the advent of airport development in smaller cities, regional aviation is expected to soar. With this in mind, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), in its 12th Five-Year Plan, is looking into further developing and restarting operations in 25 of India's smaller non-functional airports.

By: Pete Lee.