(a) whether the Government is considering to provide direct international flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai, Singapore and other countries;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be provided; and
(c) whether the Government will reconsider flight operation to Andaman & Nicobar Islands which was operating earlier on Kolkata-Bhubaneswar-Port Blair route and if so, the details thereof?
The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)
(a) & (b) Sir, the start of operations to any destination depends on the commercial viability of routes and availability of resources with the airlines. The Indian carriers are free to mount operation from any point in India including Bhubaneswar to the points in foreign countries available under respective bilateral agreements. Bhubaneswar has been been included in 18 tourist destination available for SAARC(except Afghanistan and Pakistan) and ASEAN countries to/from which designated carriers of India as well as designated carriers of SAARC and foreign carriers can mount unlimited operations.
(c) Government does not grant permission to airlines to operate /resume flights on specific domestic routes. With repeal of the Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the Indian airline industry was deregulated. Airlines are free to induct capacity with any aircraft type, free to select whatever markets and network they wish to service and operate. Further, Government has laid down Route Dispersal Guidelines with a view to achieve better air transport services to different regions of the country. It is, therefore, upto the airlines to provide air services to specific places depending upon the traffic demand and commercial viability. The airlines are free to operate to/from anywhere in the country subject to compliance of Route Dispersal Guidelines issued by the Government.