The state capital will once again be connected through air with the second-largest city in Karnataka with the launch of the service by Air Pegasus, a Bengaluru-based regional airline, here on Sunday.
Starting Sunday, the newly-launched airline will fly once a day (3.05 p.m.) from Kempegowda International Airport Limited and Hubbali Airport. The journey of more than 400-km takes 1 hour and 15 minutes, and can cost between Rs. 1,225 (when booked weeks in advance) to Rs. 2,550 for immediate bookings.
The airlines will operate an ATR 72-500, a twin-engine turboprop short-haul aircraft capable of ferrying 74 passengers.
With the launch of the flight, Hubbali airport will finally see aircraft movement after a month-long hiatus. On March 8, a SpiceJet aircraft – then the only airline operating to the airport – skid off the runway. Since then, the airline had shifted operations to Belagavi airport.
Union Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju launched the operations of the airlines on Sunday.
The HinduCorrespondent from Hubbali adds:
The operations of the low-cost airlines were flagged off by BJP State President Pralhad Joshi. The launch of the flight services has brought some relief to the regular air passengers from the twin cities of Hubbali-Dharwad, who were forced to travel to Belagavi to catch flights.
Prior to formally flagging of the return flight to Bengaluru of flight 0P112, Mr Joshi hoped that soon the new airlines would increase their operation to two schedules daily from Hubballi. He expressed confidence that with the run-way expansion and widening work scheduled to complete by October, Hubballi would see more airlines plying to the airport.
“My plan is to have two schedules daily from Hubballi. This will depend on the patronage to our inaugural offer of Rs. 1,234,” said Mr. Thomas from the Air Pegasus.
