May 9: Deccan Charters, the Bangalore-based company behind India's first low-cost airline Air Deccan, is making Calcutta its hub in the east to start flights from Andal, Burnpur, Cooch Behar, Bagdogra, Jamshedpur and Rourkela under the regional air-connectivity scheme Udan.

"We are planning to start operations end of July or early August, depending on the requisite clearances from the DGCA (directorate general of civil aviation.) Calcutta will be our hub in Bengal and we intend to keep two aircraft there," a senior official of Deccan Charters told Metro from Bangalore on Tuesday.

He said the airline was planning to use 20-seater aircraft for these flights. "Two seats will be for the cabin crew and 18 for passengers. We are looking at various options to procure these aircraft."

Deccan Charters offers helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for hire, besides services like aircraft management, maintenance and technical consultancy, according to its website. Captain G.R. Gopinath, whose venture Air Deccan brought air travel within reach of the average Indian, remains the chairman and managing director of the company.

Air Deccan no longer exists, but winning the bid for all Udan routes in Bengal marks a comeback for the parent company to low-cost air travel.

Udan aims to revive airports that are equipped to handle commercial flights but not operational. The first phase of the scheme has covered 33 airports. Delhi is providing 80 per cent subsidy and the state government 20 per cent to encourage aviation companies to bid for routes.

The state government is also providing police, ambulance and fire services at these airports for free and power and water supply at subsidised rates. Landing and parking charges would be waived along with value-added tax on aviation turbine fuel.

The cap on fares for select short routes is Rs 2,500 for an hour-long flight, applicable to 50 per cent of the seats. This means nine out of 18 passengers booked on a Deccan Charters flight from Calcutta would benefit from the subsidy.

Asked whether operating flights from Burnpur near Asansol and Andal, barely 40km from each other, was viable, a Deccan official said the airline was planning schedules in such a way that operations would be viable.

"We plan to operate a morning flight from Andal to Calcutta and one from Calcutta to Andal and Bagdogra. The Burnpur flight should fly to Calcutta in the evening. Anyone going from Calcutta to Durgapur or Asansol in the morning can finish work and return by the Burnpur flight in the evening," the official said.

Burnpur airport is run by IISCO, a public sector undertaking.

The Deccan official said the state government and private companies would be formally request to support the initiative by getting their officials to travel by these flights.

Air India and a few regional airlines had started flights from Andal and Cooch Behar at various times, only to withdraw their services for want of business. Around six months ago, the secretary of the civil aviation ministry met chief minister Mamata Banerjee and requested her government to be a part of the Udan scheme.