Kolkata/New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS): Zoom Air, India's 10th national scheduled airline which received an air operator's permit (AOP) on February 3, is in talks with the Arunachal Pradesh government to connect newly built Pasighat airport with its operational network, an official said on Sunday.
"We are looking to connect Pasighat airport in Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, we are in talks with the state government. We need to take some clearances from the state and Arunachal government also requires to get some clearances from Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)," the airline's Executive Director and CEO Koustav Mohan Dhar told IANS.
"It would take some time to get all the clearances. To be realistic, the operation in Pasighat is expected not before end of March," he added.
The airline will launch its scheduled commercial operation on Delhi-Kolkata-Durgapur-Delhi route on February 12.
"We are staring operation from February 12 with the triangle services-Delhi-Kolkata, Kolkata-Durgapur and Durgapur-Delhi route. There will be daily flights on these routes," said Dhar.
He also said that the airline planned to start the reverse triangle operations in evening on the same route by early week of March.
Incidentally, the Delhi-based airlines is starting its operation from Kaji Nazrul Islam Airport at West Bengal's Durgapur after Air India withdrew its operation on the Kolkata-Durgapur-Delhi route in June last year due to "operational reasons".
The new operator will have flights in regional routes.
"We are doing Delhi-Allahabad Kolkata-Shillong as of now. We also start operation on Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi route. We will explore regional routes and will have services in many of such routes," he said.
On Friday, the DGCA granted the AOP to Zexus Air Services which will run the operation with the brand name Zoom Air.
"This certifies that Zexus Air Services Pvt Ltd is authorised to perform commercial air operations....in accordance with the operations manual and Rule 134 of the Aircraft Rules 1937," said the AOP.