BALLARI: In a major boost to tourism and business in the Ballari and Vijayanagara districts, regional airline Star Air has announced plans to launch a new flight connecting Bengaluru and Hampi.
The flights will operate via Vidyanagar (JSW) Airport, the nearest airport to the historic town. The announcement comes as a relief for travellers and locals, as flight operations at JSW Airport had been suspended for the past month.
The new service is expected to significantly improve connectivity to Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of South India’s most popular tourist destinations. Ballari stands to benefit as well. According to sources, the flight service will commence on November 1.
The announcement by Star Air has brought joy to tourists and local businesses. Earlier, Alliance Air operated daily flights to Bengaluru, but the service was suspended due to technical reasons.
According to Star Air, a daily flight will depart from Bengaluru in the morning, reach Vidyanagar, and return shortly after. The flight will depart Bengaluru at 7:50 am, reach Vidyanagar at 8.40 am, return from Vidyanagar at 9.10 am and reach Bengaluru by 10 am.
This will be a daily service. Virupakshi V Hampi, Secretary of the State Tourists Guides Association and Hampi Guide, said, “Hampi is about 35 km from JSW Vidyanagar Airport. Currently, many tourists use Hubballi Airport, which is about 150 km away. I’m thankful to Star Air for this much-needed service.”