MUMBAI- Over the past five years, a total of seven Indian airlines, including Heritage Aviation and Air Odisha Aviation, have ceased operations, as revealed by the government on Thursday.
The country has 11 scheduled operators and 5 commuter operators, per the data furnished by Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
7 Indian Airlines Shutdowns and 16 Operational
Among the airlines that closed down in the last five years till July 21, 2023, two were Heritage Aviation Pvt Ltd and Turbo Megha Airways Pvt Ltd in 2022, while Zexus Air Services Pvt Ltd, Deccan Charters Pvt Ltd, and Air Odisha Aviation Pvt Ltd ceased operations in 2020.
According to the data, in 2019, both Jet Airways (India) Ltd and Jet Lite (India) Ltd ceased operations. Jet Airways, which received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) on February 13, 2022, suspended its flights on April 17, 2019, due to financial difficulties.
After the closure, Jet Airways (India) Ltd. underwent insolvency proceedings at NCLT, Mumbai. The AOC was re-issued on 20.05.2022, but the airline did not resume operations, and the AOC expired on 19.05.2023, as mentioned in the reply.
In a separate written response, the minister mentioned that IndiGo and Go First Airlines operate A320 neo aircraft equipped with PW1100G-JM engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney (P&W).
Regional airlines are growing rapidly and are being awarded new routes.
FLY91 UDAN Routes
Following four successful rounds of bidding, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) concluded the 5th round of bidding for various UDAN routes at the 5th Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit, 2023, held in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
The focus of this round was on category-2 (20-80 seats) and category-3 (>80 seats) sectors. Subsequently, with the aim of easing restrictions on the distance between the origin and destination sectors.
Manoj Chacko, MD & CEO of FLY91, expressed his excitement. He stated, “We are truly delighted to embark on this journey and excited to have been allotted Jalgaon, Sindhudurg, Nanded, and Agatti as our initial regional airports for starting our RCS operations.”
“This will enhance air connectivity to these cities for both business and leisure travelers. Further, help in boosting tourism and commerce. Subsequently, the new flights will also open more business avenues between metro and non-metro cities,” says Mr. Chacko.
Star Air New Routes
Star Air (S5), a prominent regional airline in India, is poised to achieve remarkable growth as it secures 40 new routes under the prestigious “UDAN 5” scheme.
Dedicated to bridging the gap in connectivity for underserved and unserved areas across the nation, Star Air intends to commence these routes and substantially expand its operations.
As a part of its expansion efforts, Star Air takes pride in introducing 7-8 new stations, which will further strengthen its presence in the regional aviation sector.
These strategic hubs will facilitate seamless connections, reducing travel time for passengers to and from these regions.
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