AI makes Bhopal airport ATR 'base'

Bhopal: Five years after a new terminal came up at Raja Bhoj airport, it is now attracting eyeballs of airlines brass for its locational advantages. In a first big step for an airport with few flights, Air India (AI) has made a base for an ATR - 72-seater (a twin-engine turboprop short haul) plane, which has made the airport its parking station. The air carrier has other plans of expanding Bhopal's connectivity with Ahmedabad and Bangalore.
The new integrated terminal building, which was inaugurated in 2011, was not able to attract airlines like Indore and neighbouring state capital Raipur. For many years, the air connectivity was limited to Delhi and Mumbai.
Over last few years, airlines were somewhat cold to making Bhopal an originating point. A case in point is by Spice Jet discontinuing its operations from Bhopal. Two years ago, the airline stopped its operations. Currently, Air India and Jet Airways are the only two operators at the airport.
Air India recently started ATR services to new destinations, including Pune. When contacted, Air India manager (MP and CG) Vishrut Acharya said: "AI has started parking 72 seater ATR at Bhopal airport in night. Pilots and air hostesses have staying facility at Hotel Palash," Acharya said. He said: "The ATR, which is parked in night, runs on Bhopal, Raipur and Pune route."
Asked what prompted to make it a parking arena for ATR, he said, "It is best available base. It is not full-fledged base, currently. We are using Bhopal airport for parking an ATR only at present as there is no such facility of engineers, technicians and others. For a full-fledged base, airport requires so many things." He, however, said Bhopal airport could be used for more ATRs.
Talking about new routes, Acharya said, "Pune is a great success for us. We have full bookings on this route till August. Such response has motivated us to explore other routes. We are now thinking to connect Bangalore and Ahmedabad."
Highlighting importance of both cities, he said, "Both are important centres of education and commerce. We are hoping to get ATRs for these two routes. The plan is to buy 10 ATRs, which will mainly provide connectivity for North-Eastern states. We are hoping to get two ATRs for Madhya Pradesh."
About cancellation of flights from Bhopal in recent past, he claimed to travellers were informed well in advance about cancellation of flight. "Whatever cancellation of flights are there, these all are scheduled. I have not received a single complaint about not informing travellers in advance," he said.