Low-cost airlines Air Costa will start
operating next month from Vijayawada. It is owned by Lingamaneni Estates
and Projects Ltd (LEPL). It has received the air operator’s permit from
DGCA.
This is the first airline company to
have a base in Vijayawada. Announcement of flight schedules and sale of
tickets will begin soon. Except for IndiGo, all other low-cost airlines
are in the red and a big-ticket AirAsia is all set to start in India.
ATF tax and rising oil prices to rupee slide have impacted all airlines.
With all the necessary permissions,
low-cost airlines Air Costa will start operations with two E-170 and two
E-190 Embraer E-Jets having a two-class cabin seating configuration and
will offer comfort, class and cheap fares, said CEO (LEPL) Captain K N
Babu.
Low-cost airlines Air Costa will link
Vijayawada to Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. Later
on, it will fly to Goa, Pune, Madurai, Trivandrum and Vishakapatnam.
LEPL MD Ramesh Lingamaneni said that Air
Costa would give a new travel experience to tier-II and III city
travellers. The company has been expanding several multiplexes,
commercial buildings, and developed a 500-acre satellite city.
The company has presence in power (wind
and solar), health care (LEPL Aayush NRI Health Care Pvt Ltd)
Hospitality (Rain Treepark Dwaraka Krishna), and education (Ken Bridge
Schools).
And, an alliance with Inox multiplex is
currently in possession of three Embraer Jets with a seating capacity of
67 each, which are ideal for regional short-haul flights between
tier-II and III cities and metros.
Air Costa has bought one jet and leased
the others. The idea is to link those markets not served adequately,
said the low-cost carrier. The capacity will be kept under control and
flights regulated by seasonal demand, said Babu.
The concept of the low-cost airline Air
Costa was floated a year back with Vijayawada airport as its maintenance
base and headquarters. Its staff have finished necessary training, and
in first phase it plans to operate flights to six stations. LEPL says
regional air services have a lot of potential with the economy of South
Indian cities booming.
http://truthdive.com/2013/09/25/low-cost-airlines-air-costa-to-take-off-from-vijayawada.html
