Date:13/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/13/stories/2006081305401300.htm

Business

New airline to begin operations by October

Special Correspondent

It will ply on three sectors from Delhi

Photo: Anu Pushkarna

ONE MORE IN THE SKY: Gopal Goyal (right), Chairman, MDLR group, with Rajeev Kumar Parashar, general manager, Administration, at the launch of MDLR Airlines in New Delhi on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: A new full service start-up airline, promoted by a real estate entrepreneur, will begin operations in the north and a few hill towns in the region by October. MDLR Airlines, which plans to acquire five RJ-70 aircraft from British Aerospace and an equal number of Mi-172 helicopters, will launch flights from Delhi to Kullu, Dharamsala and Dehra Dun.

It will not be a low-cost carrier but will cater for both business and economy segments, Gopal Kumar Goyal, Chairman, Murli Dhar Lakh Ram group, told reporters here on Saturday.

While the RJ-70s, to be inducted on a lease-purchase basis, would be about eight years old with a capacity of 70 seats in the executive and economy configuration, the Mi-172s, to be acquired from Russian firm Kazan Helicopters, would be 27-seaters. The RJ-70s, capable of short takeoff and landing, would be introduced for the first time in India. Pricing would be competitive and flexible, said Harsh Vardhan, former Vayudoot chief, who is an aviation consultant for MDLR. Mr. Goyal also announced plans to launch the cargo wing of his airline by next year. Mr. Vardhan said the fleet would be based in Chandigarh. Mr. Goyal and Mr. Vardhan said the first services would start from Delhi to some major pilgrim centres in the north.