According to industry insiders, similar services have been a hit in European countries and in the US. In fact, air travel is the preferred mode of transport to nearby smaller towns and cities in these countries.
Suresh Nath, a Nagpur-based businessman dealing in chemicals, spends at least two days every week travelling to his factory in Latur. In contrast, he completes a return journey to Delhi within a day. The reason: It takes over seven hours to reach Latur as there is no direct air connectivity to the place at present.
For people like Nath, things are set to change with a few non-scheduled airline companies toying with the idea of starting air services connecting smaller towns and cities in Maharashtra.
Similar services have been started in Gujarat recently with the entry of Captain GR Gopinath-promoted Deccan Shuttle.
Invision Air Services Pvt Ltd, a Prabhadevi-headquartered company offering chartered flight services to business bigwigs and corporates, is planning to start air travel in 10-18-seater Turboprop engine aircrafts. The company is eyeing several tier II and III cities in the state, including Nashik, Nanded, Aurangabad, Latur, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and Nagpur. It is in talks with airplane manufacturers to purchase between 20 to 30 aircrafts to implement their plans.
Vinit Phatak, managing director of the company, said: “We will be creating centralised maintenance facilities in Nashik”.
The development seems significant as according to a report by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), a leading aviation industry think tank, Maharashtra recorded the highest per capita airport traffic in 2011. It also leads the country in the State Domestic Product (SDP) in the current year.
According to Sanjay Saihgal, vice president, Deccan Shuttle, Maharashtra offers a huge market as there are many tier II and III cities in the state. “We are looking for opportunities in many pockets, and Maharashtra is one among them,” he added.
According to industry insiders, similar services have been a hit in European countries and in the US. In fact, air travel is the preferred mode of transport to nearby smaller towns and cities in these countries.
However, Phatak remained cautious about the success of the plan. “The project might not be 100% profitable in the initial years and it will be a big risk for a small operator like us to take," he said.
Moreover, Kapil Kaul, chief executive officer (CEO), CAPA said, “On the one hand, the government is stopping foreign airlines from investing in the aviation sector here. But small entrepreneurs, most of whom are likely to fail, are being handed out licenses to operate. This should change.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}