HAL airport-BIAL heli-taxi plan still on; a few issues delaying permission, says company

The proposed heli-taxi services between HAL airport and Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is delayed. Thumby Aviation, currently running shuttle helicopter services between Electronic City and KIA, has not received clearances to operate shuttle services between the two airports.

The company is struggling to strike a deal with the operators of HAL airport and the Bangalore International Airport (BIAL). “We are in talks with HAL and BIAL. Both of them have extended support, but there are a few issues that have to be sorted out,” Govind Nair, director (business development) at Thumby Aviation, told ET.

Nair did not set a timeline for the project to take off, but denied reports that the company had dropped plans to run shuttle services between the two airports. “We are already running air charter services from the HAL airport to different places. As running shuttle services between two airports requires a number of permissions, it takes time. We are on it,” Nair said.


Kerala-based Thumby Aviation believes shuttle helicopter services between HAL airport and the KIA would have better footfall, given the distance between the two airports. While it takes nearly two hours by road to cover the 40-km stretch to the international airport near Devanahalli, a helicopter can cover the distance in about 15 minutes.

Both HAL and BIAL did not divulge details of Thumby’s proposal. “We are open to the deal as long as the company agrees to pay helicopter parking fees,” Gopal Suthar, a spokesperson for HAL, said. BIAL declined to respond to queries.