Question : Routes under RCS

(a) the details of the number of unserved and underserved routes granted to airlines for operation under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), State and year-wise since 2017;

(b) the details of cancellation of licences of airlines for serving on these routes, State and year-wise since 2017;

(c) the details of such routes in Karnataka which do not have any airlines serving them due to cancellation of their licences by the Ministry;

(d) the reasons behind airlines not being able to sustain business on such routes; and

(e) whether the Government has any policy direction to take to improve presence of airlines on such routes and if so, the details thereof?

The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

(a) and (b): Airports Authority of India (AAI), the implementing agency for Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) has conducted three rounds of bidding under RCS - UDAN so far and awarded 688 valid RCS routes across the country. The implementing agency has cancelled some of the routes awarded under RCS-UDAN due to non compliance of Selected Airline Operator (SAO) Agreement by the SAOs. Names of SAOs whose RCS routes have been cancelled are M/s AAA Aviation Private Limited, M/s Deccan Charters Private Limited (Air Deccan) , M/s Air Odisha Aviation Pvt. Ltd. (Air Odisha), M/s Turbo Aviation Pvt. Ltd., M/s Zexus Air Service Private Ltd., M/s Andaman Airways Pvt. Ltd., M/s Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Pinnacle Air Pvt. Ltd. ;
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(c): RCS routes connecting Baldota (Koppal) to Goa, Hyderabad & Bengaluru have also been cancelled due to non-compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. ;
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(d): The RCS - UDAN has been framed to stimulate regional connectivity by making it affordable. Promoting affordability of regional air connectivity is envisioned under RCS - UDAN by supporting airline operators through (i) concessions by Central Government, State Governments and airport operators to reduce the cost of airline operations on regional routes and (ii) financial support (Viability Gap Funding) to meet the gap,if any, between the cost of airline operations and expected revenues on regional routes. ;
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(e): RCS - UDAN is market driven scheme. The interested airlines based on their assessment of demand on particular routes submit their proposals at the time of bidding under RCS - UDAN.