Deccan Aviation, India?s first private sector helicopter charter company, would start helicopter service in Hyderabad and Mumbai soon, a top official of the company said.
Launching the company?s helicopter service from Bangalore International Airport to select locations in Bangalore on Tuesday, Deccan Aviation?s managing director G R Gopinath said the company would invest $7 million to launch charter operations with two helicopters each in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The helicopter charter operations in Hyderabad and Mumbai would be launched in the next 6-7 months, he added.
Further, he said, the company has already invested $5 million in the two Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters to service in Bangalore. The charter service christened ?Deccan Skylimo? will address the issue of airport connectivity in Bangalore. The service will enable VIPs and business travelers to travel 40-80 kms distance between BIAL, Bangalore Palace, the old HAL airport and IT hub Electronic city within 20 minutes.
Currently, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) chief executive officer Albert Brunner has provided one-acre land for operations of the helipad outside BIAL, Gopinath said, adding ?I would request Brunner to give us a permanent, proper helipad inside the airport.?
The fare for this service was fixed at Rs 4,800-Rs 5,800 per person per trip.
He also said the company would expand its helicopter network in the city in future.
Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who inaugurated the Deccan Aviation?s helicopter service in Bangalore, said ?the government of Karnataka has given great priority to development of civil aviation. Helipads are being developed for tourism along with several airports like in Shimoga, Hassan and Gulbarga and Mysore?.
