You’ve seen and flown low-cost airlines, now get ready for low-cost commercial airports. That is what Capt. G.R. Gopinath, promoter and managing director of Air Deccan, has up his sleeve next. He is planning to persuade various state governments to pony up the money to build low-cost airports. Capt. Gopinath said here on Sunday he will be meeting Andhra Pradesh government officials next week with a concrete plan to steer ahead ideas for 5-6 low-cost airports in the state, inspired by the Maharashtra government-owned airport in Sholapur.
Built at an investment of Rs 10-15 crores, low-cost airports are mere "bushstrips" with airstrips, night-landing and basic navigational facilities. The target sites here are the ones in district headquarters and in places like Kandla in Gujarat, Kadapa and Warangal in Andhra Pradesh, Ambikapur in Madhya Pradesh and Bellary in Karnataka. Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya seconded Capt Gopinath’s idea. "We need to develop ‘grass-strips’ as smaller versions of a full-fledged airport. Look at Kenya... It has the largest number of grass-strips in the world and that has done wonders for its tourism sector," Dr Mallya said addressing delegates and members of the Indian Travel Congress here on Sunday.
On its part, the Andhra Pradesh government wants an assured connectivity from Air Deccan. "Once you assure connectivity, we will call a meeting in 10 days to take the matter forward," Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy told Capt. Gopinath while speaking at the Indian Travel Congress.
Capt. Gopinath said he intends to ask the state to underwrite 20-30 seats on its flights from such airports. "The state governments must create and enable infrastructure
and get out of the way as far as business operations are concerned," he said. Capt. Gopinath said about 450 airstrips in the country are underutilised, adding that he has so far received favourable responses from the Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand governments to his idea.
Built at an investment of Rs 10-15 crores, low-cost airports are mere "bushstrips" with airstrips, night-landing and basic navigational facilities. The target sites here are the ones in district headquarters and in places like Kandla in Gujarat, Kadapa and Warangal in Andhra Pradesh, Ambikapur in Madhya Pradesh and Bellary in Karnataka. Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya seconded Capt Gopinath’s idea. "We need to develop ‘grass-strips’ as smaller versions of a full-fledged airport. Look at Kenya... It has the largest number of grass-strips in the world and that has done wonders for its tourism sector," Dr Mallya said addressing delegates and members of the Indian Travel Congress here on Sunday.
On its part, the Andhra Pradesh government wants an assured connectivity from Air Deccan. "Once you assure connectivity, we will call a meeting in 10 days to take the matter forward," Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy told Capt. Gopinath while speaking at the Indian Travel Congress.
Capt. Gopinath said he intends to ask the state to underwrite 20-30 seats on its flights from such airports. "The state governments must create and enable infrastructure
and get out of the way as far as business operations are concerned," he said. Capt. Gopinath said about 450 airstrips in the country are underutilised, adding that he has so far received favourable responses from the Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand governments to his idea.