The government wants at least three subsidised flights a week at underserved airports as part of its efforts to enable 350 million more Indians to fly every year.
“The airline providing regional flights will have to connect underserved airports with minimum three flights a week and maximum seven flights a week. Anything beyond that will not fetch any subsidy,” said aviation secretary RN Choubey.
Not all seats in the flight will be subsidised, though. “Smaller aircraft with 13 seats will have nine seats under subsidy and 80 seater aircraft will have 40 seats under subsidy,” said Choubey.
The airline operating regional flights will be allowed to sell the rest of the seats at market price. “We will not regulate fares on the seats without subsidy,” said Choubey.
The government plans to immediately connect about 30 airports in the country that have adequate infrastructure but no flights at present.
Under the scheme, the government will provide fares at Rs 2,500 per 500 km and fund the rest through a subsidy. Viktor Arvidsson Jersey
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