Government a step closer to making Rs 2,500 flight for aam aadmi a reality

The Modi government today decided to provide underserved airports with minimum three subsidized flights a week in an attempt to fly 350 million more Indians in a year.

“The airline providing regional flights will have to connect underserved airports with minimum 3 flights a week and maximum 7 flights a week. Anything beyond that will not fetch any subsidy,” said aviation secretary R N Choubey.

Also, not all seats in the flight will be on subsidy. “Smaller aircraft with 13 seats will have 9 seats under subsidy and 80 seater aircraft will have 40 seats under subsidy,” said Choubey.

The airline operating regional flights will be allowed to sell the rest of the seats at the market price. “We will not regulate fares on the seats without subsidy,” said Choubey.

The government plans to immediately connect about 30 airports in the country that has airport infrastructure but no flights as of today.

Under the scheme, the government will provide fares at RS 2,500 per 500 km and the rest will be funded through a government subsidy.