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Air Sahara to connect smaller cities

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 22. In a bid to lure air travellers from smaller cities, Air Sahara today announced its plan of inducting seven CRJ-200 regional jets over the next two months, which would open up new routes and offer better connectivity.

Unveiling the first 50-seater Canadian regional jet at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, the CEO of Air Sahara, Uttam Kumar Bose, said. "We anticipate a 10 per cent growth in domestic air travel with the introduction of these jets. In fact, these will act as a catalyst for boosting domestic tourism."

The first aircraft is scheduled to begin its flight on February 28 and would fly from Delhi to Kolkata via Lucknow and Allahabad every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In the evening, it would return to Delhi via Allahabad and Lucknow.

Every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, the aircraft would fly from Delhi to Kolkata via Lucknow and Gorakhpur and return to Delhi via Gorakhpur and Lucknow. Mr. Bose claimed that the new jets would change the "aviation scenario" in the country, opening up new corridors and routes and offering point-to-point services.

"These are very quiet and comfortable jets operating in several countries the world over. Their noise and pollution levels are also low,'' he told presspersons aboard the new jet.The CRJ-200, manufactured by the Canadian firm Bombardier, is capable of flying at an altitude of 41,000 feet, higher than bigger aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and 767. All the seven jets would join the Sahara fleet on a seven-year dry lease by the end of April. The airline would increase its flights to 26 sectors and double the number of aircraft from 11 to 22 by the end of the year by inducting five more Boeing 737s.

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