TIRUCHY: With the second-round of bidding for regional flights under the Centre’s UDAN scheme underway, Jet Airways is exploring new avenues other than Tiruchy International Airport and plans to start operations from Thanjavur to other cities. A team from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Jet Airways has begun a preliminary survey of the Thanjavur airbase where commercial operations are expected to begin under the scheme.
According to sources, the team of senior officials comprising AGMs and DGMs left for Thanjavur Air Force Station on Friday to carry out a preliminary survey on operating flights from there.
A senior Jet Airways official confirmed a study was taking place and would look into the feasibility of operating flights from Thanjavur. The airline currently operates three flights to Chennai from Tiruchy International Airport and is looking to venture to other cities through the UDAN scheme by connecting from Thanjavur.
Officials said flights would aim to utilise the evening slots to connect domestically from Thanjavur to other cities when air traffic at Tiruchy is less. The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on June 15, 2016. The scheme is jointly funded by the central and State governments. Several States have come on board by signing an MoU with the Union government for this scheme. In the state, alone Karaikal, Thanjavur, Pondicherry and Salem are all part of UDAN.