Regional airline TruJet to launch operations from July 12

The Hyderabad-based airline has two 72-seater ATR-72 turbo prop aircraft on lease and plans to induct five planes by next March-end

Regional carrier TruJet will commence operations from July 12 connecting Rajahmundry and Tirupati with Hyderabad.

TruJet, which is promoted by Hyderabad-based aviation entrepreneur Umesh Vankayalapati and Telugu movie actor Ram Charan Tej, secured its operations permit from Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Tuesday.  The airline has two 72-seater ATR-72 turbo prop aircraft on lease and plans to induct five planes by next March-end.  It will compete with  regional carriers Air Costa and Air Pegasus for a pie of air traffic from tier II and III cities in South India. “We are launching service from July 12 and will have our initial schedule till July 26 coinciding with Pushkaram festival,” said Trujet's managing director  Umesh Vankayalapati.  Later the airline plans to fly to Aurangabad, Mangaluru, Hubli and other towns.

Vankayalpati runs an aviation ground handling and air  charter business in Hyderabad and says the experience will come useful in controlling costs and managing operations. The airline also has its own engineering and maintenance set up.  

The company has invested about Rs 100 crore in the project and has hired over 200 employees. “There is demand for feeder flights from tier II towns. These are not well connected and we hope to link them,” Vankayalapati added.

TruJet is amongst six airlines which secured an initial no objection clearance from civil aviation ministry last year.  In all 16 companies received NOC to launch an airline from the government since 2009 but only five airlines launched operations.

Religare group's Air Mantra ran scheduled services between Amritsar and Chandigarh during 2012-13 but has shut operations since then. TruJet will be the sixth scheduled airline to take to skies since 2009.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation sources said it is considering application of Flyeasy (company name -ABC Aviation). Flyeasy will be based in Bengaluru and plans to start operations with two-three 110-seater single class E-190 aircraft. The airline is targeting launch from October, Chief Executive Officer Finn Thaulow said in a text message.