Apart From Domestic Flights, Centre Allows ‘UDAN’ Regional Air Services on Select Routes With Conditions

New Delhi: With the domestic flights resuming operations from Monday, the Central government on Sunday decided to restart regional air connectivity services under the UDAN scheme on select routes and with conditions. The central government said that the services will be started as per the modalities set by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Issuing an order, the Central government said that all the operational routes in priority areas which include the northeastern region, hill states and islands are permitted to resume operations.
The order further stated that all operational helicopter routes are permitted to resume operations. All operational routes with no viability gap funding (VGF) are permitted as well. Also Read – Heartbreaking Pictures Show Lions Starving In Sudan Zoo, Spark Online Campaign to Save Them.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that all operational routes up to 500 km stage length are permitted to resume operations. “And selected airline operators (SAOs) are allowed to operationalise awarded routes under UDAN, including seaplanes on the permitted routes,” it said.
“If willing to operate without VGF support, SAOs may operate Tourism RCS routes (T-RCS) or RCS routes with stage length more than 500 km in areas other than Priority Areas. However, other incentives for the respective routes as per the scheme document would continue to be available for the contract period,” the order said.