The Alliance Air commenced direct operations between Jaipur and Kullu through 70-seater ATR-72 aircraft from today.
The aircraft was welcomed with water cannons at the Kullu-Manali airport at Bhuntar, 10 km from here.
Though the Governor and Deputy Chief Minister are on visit to Kullu for the Dasehra festival, only a small ceremony was held for the launching of the operations for the first time between Jaipur and Kullu.
The operations will be carried out on Mondays and Wednesdays till October 23 and from October 29 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The one way flight will be of around 2-hour duration. It will depart from Jaipur at 8.20 am and arrive in Kullu at 10.15 am.
Then it will return back at 10.35 am and arrive at Jaipur at 12.40 pm. The flights between Jaipur and Kullu have been launched under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), commonly known as UDAN .
The flights are offering one-way fare of as low as Rs 2,509. However, the seats from Kullu to Jaipur are not available on the website of the airline till October 31, for which the seat was costing Rs 3,390, including the webcharge of Rs 199. Jaipur to Kullu seats are available, though the prices are generally ranging over Rs 4,500 till October 29.
Alliance Air, is already carrying out flights between Delhi, Amritsar and Dehradun using 48-seater ATR-42 aircraft. However, due to the load stipulation because of the short runway of Bhuntar airport, the aircraft are only allowed to carry around 15 to 20 passengers while departing from here.
Budhi Prakash Thakur, a member of Kullu-Manali Airport Advisory Committee, said that the proposal to increase the length of the runway from 1,052 metres to 1,712 metres by diverting the Beas river was underway.
He added that the aircraft will be allowed to ferry more passengers after the runway is broadened and elongated. “This will make the operations more economically viable,” he added.
Ops on Mondays, Wednesdays till Oct 23
The operations will be carried out on Mondays and Wednesdays till October 23. From October 29 these will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The one-way flight will be of around two-hour duration. It will depart from Jaipur at 8.20 am and arrive in Kullu at 10.15 am. Then it will return back at 10.35 am and arrive at Jaipur at 12.40 pm.
One-way fare is Rs 2,509
