Intra-state flight services in Gujarat to be re-launched soon

The intra-state flight services which was in a limbo soon after its launch in January is being re-launched with a fresh schedule and new routes. Apparently, demand for the services has been sluggish in Gujarat.

"Demand has been a challenge for us since the beginning. Operations had been suspended since one and a half months now. However, we are working with the Gujarat government for re-launching the services again soon," Siddharth Verma, co-founder and director of Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd. (Mehair), the operator of the intra-state flight services in Gujarat.

Refusing to divulge further details, Verma said, "New routes and new schedules are being worked. We are taking into consideration the sluggish demand and how to make the most of it. We will make an announcement soon in this regard."

Ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2015, Gujarat government's department of civil aviation and Mehair had flagged off the first inaugural intra-state flight from Ahmedabad airport to Porbandar in January 2015.

Priced at an introductory fare of Rs 4999, the schedule saw flights running 3-4 times in a day during weekdays between Ahmedabad, Porbandar, Bhuj and Jamnagar. With a plan to later add more aircrafts, the operator Mehair had begun initially running a single nine-seater Cessna 208-B Grand Caravan aircraft.

While the first phase had seen cities of Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Porbandar and Jamnagar being connected, there were also plans for a second phase in which flights were to be introduced between Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhavnagar, Dwarka, Keshod, Rajkot and Mandvi, among other places. However, lack of demand saw the services being grounded within couple of months.

Earlier, the state government had stated plans to connect major industrial areas as well as religious places. "The intra-state flight services will connect and boost religious tourism as well as business travel to places like Ambaji, Dwarka, Palitana, Dahej and Ankleshwar in near future. Tourists from outside Gujarat will also be able to save time and will lead to faster economic growth for Gujarat," Saurabh Patel, minister of finance, civil aviation and tourism, Government of Gujarat had stated during the inaugural ceremony in January.

It needs to be mentioned here that in November 2014, LOA was issued to Mehair by Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel.

Initially, the company had plans to clock minimum 100 hours per month with an aim to break-even at 120 hours. As part of the contract, the Government of Gujarat had been providing subsidy to the service on the various flights operating across the state. According to company officials, Mehair had received Rs 23 lakhs or 20 per cent as subsidy from the Gujarat government on clocking of minimum 100 hours, while the rest had to be borne by the company.