Flight operations will begin at Shivamogga airport on August 31. “It will be a historic day for the people of Shivamogga,” said Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra on August 28.
Addressing a media conference in Shivamogga, Mr. Raghavendra said the first flight (Indigo) will leave Bengaluru at 9.50 a.m. and land in Shivamogga at 11.05 a.m. Passengers will include former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa, who is minister in-charge of Shivamogga, Minister for Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil and legislators of Shivamogga.
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The flight will take off from Shivamogga the same day at 11.25 a.m. and reach Bengaluru at 12.25 p.m., he said.
The fare will keep changing as per demand. The launch of flight operations resulted in a surge in demand, taking the fare up to ₹14,000.
“However, those who booked early got seats for as low as ₹2,900 or ₹3,200. As the Bengaluru-Shivamogga route does not come under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), passengers cannot expect any subsidy,” the MP said.
Mr. Raghavendra expressed confidence that flights on other routes connecting Shivamogga with Chennai, Goa and Tirupati would start within a month.
“The tender process has been completed. As per the condition, airlines have to start operations within 90 days after the tender process. Passengers will get subsidy on some routes. Looking at the response, I am sure Shivamogga will emerge as an international airport within the next 10 years, benefiting people of all districts in the central region of Karnataka,” the MP said.
The airport has been built at Sogane, near Shivamogga, with an investment of about ₹449.22 crore. The infrastructure is designed to accommodate Airbus 320 flights. The airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27.
