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  Business   Companies  31 Mar 2017  Domestic air travel made dirt cheap under UDAN

Domestic air travel made dirt cheap under UDAN

THE ASIAN AGE
Published : Mar 31, 2017, 3:00 pm IST
Updated : Mar 31, 2017, 3:04 pm IST

Govt has asked domestic carriers to charge a subsidised rate of Rs 2,500 for an hour’s travel on local routes.

National carrier Air India has also won bids under UDAN.
 National carrier Air India has also won bids under UDAN.

Mumbai: If you are a frequent traveller within the country and looking for attractive discounts on your air tickets then we advise you to keep reading this article.

The government has taken a slew of steps to promote air travel and favour tourism within the country under UDAN or Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik scheme. The scheme forms part of broader Regional Connectivity Scheme that wants to boost tourism and air travel.

Under the said scheme, identified airlines will charge Rs 2,500 for an hour's travel on local routes up to a distance of 500 km and in return get government's subsidy for loss of revenue.

UDAN has been conceptualised by the Civil Aviation Ministry that in collaboration with local airlines will offer a subsidised air travel to local populace. The government has indicated that it will continue the subsidy scheme for initial three years.

According to reports, a total of five airlines have won civil aviation's bids to operate under the unique scheme that aims to connect 70 ‘dormant’ airports in country. The airlines will fly across 128 routes.

Civil Aviation Ministry has distributed different routes to different airlines based on the bids they have won. "Air India has got 15 routes, Spice Jet has got 11, Turbo 18, Air Deccan 34 and Air Odisha has got 50 routes," India Today quoted Aviation Secretary R N Choubey as saying.

These discounted air travels funded by the government form part of aviation ministry's efforts to launch government's Regional Connectivity Scheme that has at its forefront aviation secretary R N Choubey.

In India, most of the airports at tier II cities have not been able to attract air traffic due to poor air connectivity and lack of awareness among air travellers. As of now only 50 per cent seats in an identified airline will be available at a subsidised rate of Rs 2,500 for an hour's travel.

Tags: civil aviation, udan, air travel, ude desh ka aam nagrik, airlines
Location: India, Maharashtra, Mumbai (Bombay)