Regional connectivity beyond short-haul routes, will witness 5-fold growth in next 5 years
2 min read . Updated: 14 May 2023, 10:02 PM IST
PremiumTiwana vouched for a change in perspective and said that regional connectivity is not just about linking smaller destinations to Mumbai and Delhi
While emphasising India's potential for regional aviation Star Air CEO, Simran Singh Tiwana affirmed that if an operator plays the cards right, sustaining a business is not an issue in India. The top officer of the company also added that regional travel is expected to witness a five-fold growth in the next five years.
“You play your cards right, go for the right network, which is in line with the aircraft you operate (and) that makes a big difference (in terms of sustaining operations)," Tiwana said on operating airlines in India.
Tiwana vouched for a change in perspective and said that regional connectivity is not just about linking smaller destinations to Mumbai and Delhi. "I think regional connectivity exists beyond short-haul routes. If we think it is connecting smaller stations with Mumbai, Delhi, among others, we need to think about it different," Tiwana said.
While delving into the challenges in regional travel, Tiwana said that wildlife issues, gaps in the runways operations, and watch out hours at certain UDAN airports are certain areas that require improvement in the sector.
“Our business model is not clashing with anybody else in India. We have a separate business, separate market and we are just trying to grow it," he said.
“Our markets have been very different and we are eating into anybody's market share as we are doing all monopoly routes," Tiwana emphasised.
In 2019, the Sanjay Ghodawat Group, a diversified business located in Kolhapur, established Star Air airline that uses five Embraer aircraft to provide services to 16 destinations under the Central government's regional connectivity scheme, UDAN. The airline operates from two bases, Bengaluru and Belagavi.
According to Tiwana, in addition to launching a new destination, Jaipur, on Monday, the airline plans to increase its fleet and expand to three additional destinations, with the goal of doubling its passenger volumes this year.
Tiwana also said that Star Air will be participating in the fifth round of the regional connectivity scheme. "The bidding has just opened a few days back. We have time up till June 1 to file the bids but we will be filing," he added.