Question : DIRECT FLIGHTS

(a) whether the Government proposes to start direct flights between Jamshedpur and Delhi as well as between Rajkot and Delhi and if so, the details and the present status thereof;

(b) whether the Government has received any suggestions/requests in this regard and if so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon;

(c) whether the Government also proposes to re-introduce direct non-stop flights between Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the reasons for not starting direct non-stop flights to Singapore, Muscat, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain from New Delhi; and

(e) whether the Government is considering any proposal for expansion of Delhi-Ranchi flight upto Jamshedpur and Delhi-Jaipur flight upto Ahmedabad and Rajkot and if so, the details and the present status thereof?

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri G. M. Siddeshwara)

(a) to (c); There is no scheduled domestic flight operating between Jamshedpur-Delhi and Rajkot-Delhi sector. Further, there is no non-stop flight operating between Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi. Domestic air services have been decontrolled & deregulated. Government has laid down route dispersal guidelines with a view to achieve better regulation of air transport services taking into account the need for air transport services of different regions of the country.lt is, thus, up to the airlines to provide air services to specific places depending upon the traffic demand and commercial viability. The airlines are free to operate anywhere in the country subject to compliance of Route Dispersal Guidelines issued by the Government.

(d): At present no international flight is being operated from New Delhi to Kuwait by the Indian carrier. However, international flights are approved from New Delhi to Singapore, Muscat, Dubai, Abudhabi and Bahrain by the scheduled carriers of the country.

International operations are based on the bilateral agreement between Government of India & Foreign Governments and grant of traffic rights to airlines.

(e): Airline are free to operate at all operational airports of the country subject to compliance to Route Dispersal Guidelines issued by the Government.