CHENNAI: Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, will launch services to Madurai, Coimbatore and Vijayawada from August 30 using a single ATR 72-600 aircraft. Air India Regional Director Capt S Arulmani told reporters on Tuesday that the company will be using the new aircraft ATR 72-600 under the regional connectivity scheme to link the cities. The aircraft will also launch services to Tiruchy on August 31. Arulmani said plans are also on to operate services from Madurai to Colombo and it will be announced soon.
He said that Alliance Air will also connect Tuticorin with Chennai and Coimbatore with Hyderabad soon.
“We are considering having services to Salem also,” he said and added that there were plans to have three additional ATR 72-600 aircraft which could also be expanded later.
The aircraft is a 70-seater and has better seating arrangements, he said. The fares will be cheaper if booked earlier. It will continue to differ after 30 days.
On August 30, Alliance Air will commence its first operation from Chennai to Vijayawada at 10.55 am and will return to Chennai at 1.55 pm. The same aircraft will fly to Madurai. It will leave Chennai at 2.45 pm. It will return to the state capital at 6 pm. Later, it will operate to Coimbatore, leaving Chennai at 6.50 pm and return at 10.05 pm.
On August 31, Tiruchy will also be added. The flight will leave Chennai at 7.35 am and will return to Chennai at 10.20 am. Later, it will start operating to its earlier destinations as per schedule. “There are also plans to increase the frequency to Tiruchy, Madurai, Coimbatore and Vijayawada in future,” said Arulmani.