Airlines chiefs emphasised for low cost airports

Hyderabad, Sep 3 (UNI) Chiefs of the low cost air carriers today emphasised the need for low cost airports to enable air line connectivity to smaller towns and for the the airline business to flourish.

Participating in the Indian Travel Congress organised here, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Deccan Airlines G R Gopinath said there were more than 400 airstrips in the country which were lying unutilised or under-utilised. The government should improve these resources for providing flight connections between small and medium towns, he added.

He said though the existing facilities at various airports were not enough, these air liners were serving the industry by helping various economic categories of the society in realising their dream to fly. The Deccan Airlines was trying to tap the 250 million middle class families to utilise the low cost airlines and the company was competing with the Indian railways. The airlines had no plans to increase the tariff, he added.

He urged the state government to develop low cost airports in the state for the benefit of the low cost airlines to tap the middle class population to travel by air. The economy of the country would be increased by providing air connectivity to small towns thereby serving the needs of the industrialists.

He underlined the need for an airstrip in every district to serve the people and to help the government to provide immediate relief at the time of natural calamities.

He said for low cost airports, a good runway was sufficient and limited low cost terminals with night landing facilites would improve the air connectivity between small towns and metros.

He said air connectivity was very important to develop the tourism industry and it would create employment opportunities. It would provide better chances for the economic development of the country and attract investments if there was sufficient air connectivity to serve the industry.

UNI BR DKS HT1845