RCS: Air Deccan, Air Odisha to get 10 slots at Delhi airport

Air Deccan and Air Odisha will get a total of 10 slots at the Delhi airport for their flights under the regional connectivity scheme, according to officials.

Both airlines bagged a significant number of routes in the first round of bidding under the ambitious RCS, which seeks to connect unserved and under-served airports.

Together, Air Deccan and Air Odisha were looking for 16 slots for their proposed RCS flights from the airport here. After extensive stakeholder discussions, DIAL has agreed to provide a total of 10 slots to the two airlines, officials told PTI.

When contacted, a DIAL (Delhi International Airport Ltd) spokesperson said, "DIAL has agreed to 10 slots for Air Deccan and Air Odisha under the regional connectivity scheme."

One of the officials said Air Deccan and Air Odisha would get six and four slots, respectively.

Air Deccan was seeking 10 slots while Air Odisha's requirement was for six.

Since the number of slots being offered is less than required, both airlines would have to reduce the number of flights they plan to operate from the national capital, the official added.

Each airline would get one night parking slot.

The Delhi airport operated by DIAL, which is a joint venture company, is the busiest aerodrome in the country. In the winter schedule, starting today, it will offer 1,314 slots to airlines.

Air Deccan and Air Odisha are awaiting their scheduled commuter air transport services licences under the RCS.

In the first round of bidding in March this year, five airlines were awarded 128 RCS routes.

Air Odisha and Air Deccan had bagged the maximum number of 50 and 34 routes, respectively. The two operators would be flying 19-seater Beachcraft B-1900D aircraft for RCS flights.

The winners of the routes in the first round, including Air Odisha and Air Deccan, were given six months to start operations and that deadline expired on September 30. On account of various factors, the two airlines are yet to start their flights.

Earlier this month, a civil aviation ministry official had said the winners of the second round of bidding under the RCS were likely to be announced by mid-December.