New airline on radar at Bagdogra

TT, Siliguri, June 28: The director of Bagdogra airport today said a new airline would introduce direct flights between Bagdogra and Bangalore.

"Officials of FLYeasy, a Bangalore-based airline company, have been in touch with us for a couple of months. They have evinced interest in introducing direct flights between Bagdogra and Bangalore," said Rakesh Sahay, the airport director of Bagdogra.

According to him, the company has applied to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for Airport Operating Permit or AOP, an important document required for airlines to start flights from any airport.

"Once the company obtains the AOP and some other documents, we hope its representatives will turn up at Bagdogra. We have already earmarked space for the company to open ticket counters and set up infrastructure," the airport director said. "Also, there are some paper works, including signing of an agreement, which need to be done here."

He said even though the company was yet to announce the date for the launch of the service from Bagdogra, the flights were likely to operate in the morning hours.

"The tentative time for the arrival of the flight from Bangalore is 8.20am. It might depart for Bangalore at 2.50am. However, the timings are yet to be finalised. It would be a three-hour journey to Bangalore from here," said Sahay.

As of now, Indigo operates a flight to Bangalore via Calcutta from Bagdogra. If FLYeasy introduces its flight, it will be the ninth airline company to have services in Bagdogra.

FLYeasy, sources said, is a subsidiary of ABC Aviation and Training Services Pvt Ltd based in Bangalore.