Post news nnetwork
Bhubaneswar, May 29: Regional carrier Air Odisha, which was to commence intra-state operations by May-end, has blamed the state government for delaying the tender process of engaging a regional transporter.
The airline’s executives said the state government scrapped the tender that it had floated recently after a few discrepancies were found in it. Now, a fresh tender would be floated by the government to invite participation from regional carriers for intra-state operations in Orissa.
The issue of sponsorship of some seats of the aircraft (to minimise airline’s losses) is yet to be resolved by the state government, sources said.
The airline had April last applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for registration of its newly-bought Grand Cessna Caravan 208-B. It had also promised to unveil a new website by June.
Air Odisha plans to connect Bhubaneswar with Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Jeypore, Angul and Sambalpur at competitive fares. Reduction in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices from 20 per cent to 5per cent has spurred the carrier to evince interest in launching the operations from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA).
“We are waiting for the government’s response. The airline is ready with its aircraft and other infrastructure,” Air Odisha director (corporate affairs) Trideeb Rout said.
