Self help group to launch air service in Meghalaya
SHILLONG: A self help group will launch airline services from Umroi and Baljek airports in the State, resuming air connectivity to and from landlocked Meghalaya.
Purbayan Airlines, which is launching the Guwahati-Silchar flight services from March 1, is looking to start the Guwahati-Tura-Shillong services in another 15 days’ time. The services, if made available, would come as a welcome relief to air passengers in the State.
CEO of Purbayan Airlines, Koushik Biswas, informed that the group is also contemplating to start the Guwahati-Dimapur-Aizawl-Shillong-Guwahati services soon.
The self help group will be operating nine-seater Cessna Caravan 208 engine aircraft.
Passengers, however, would have to shell out Rs 5500 as fare for all routes that the airline would operate on.
Biswas said that the airport charges have forced the SHG to keep higher fares.
Asked about the security aspect, the CEO claimed that the aircraft is the safest around. “Brand new aircrafts will be used for the safety of the passengers,” Biswas claimed. “The aircraft can even land on roads if required,” he added.
Purbayan is a tour and travels company which started operations in 2013 running night super buses between Assam and Meghalaya. Currently it operates a fleet of 25 buses.