Air Pegasus

Another low-cost regional airline will soon fly the southern skies. Air Pegasus, which received air operator’s permit last year, plans to start services from its Bengaluru base to Thiruvananthapuram, Hubli and Chennai by mid-February. “We are planning to start services between February 15 and 20 and booking is likely to begin a week before the launch date. The first flight will be from Bengaluru to Thiruvananthapuram. We will have a fleet of three ATR aircraft. The first aircraft has already arrived. We are planning a ‘proving flight’ next week as per DGCA specifications,” said managing director Shyson Thomas.
Fares are expected to be Rs.700 to Rs.1,000 lower than competitors. A ‘proving flight’ is to check if a new airline complies with operations, ground-handling and other procedures and facilities.
In the current schedule, the first aircraft will be used to fly Bengaluru-Thiruvananthapuram-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Hubli-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Chennai, Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai and back to Bengaluru.
Chennai will be the second hub after Bengaluru. “We will operate services from Chennai to Tuticorin, Rajahmundry, Hyderabad and Kochi when the next two planes arrive by March. All formalities to acquire the planes have been completed,“ he added.
The carrier is backed by its parent company and airport ground-handling firm Decor Aviation, which has provided Air Pegasus $15 million in loans along with Canara Bank, providing $5 million, says a report by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA).
The airline also plans to cut down costs by offering ground handling to its parent company .
Air Costa, a Hyderabad based regional carrier, which received licence for regional airline along with Air Pegasus two years ago, has started flying on national routes and also connects Chennai with Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Chennai-based Premier Air has also received license to operate as regional carrier.