Indian Airlines starts Delhi-Kullu flight

MANALI: With a promise to give a major boost to tourism in Himachal Pradesh, India's national carrier, Indian Airlines on Sunday launched its Delhi-Kullu service.

Indian Airline's flight ATR-42 from Delhi, carrying passengers along with IA's Managing Director Deepak Bahara, today landed at Manali's Bhuntar airport.

Receiving the inaugural flight, Himachal Pradesh minister for Agriculture Raj Kishan Gaur said, the start of the IA services would give a major boost to the tourism industry in the hill state.

Speaking on the occasion, Bahara said, "if the national carrier gets a good response in the section it would think of making its a daily service."

With the minimum launch fare of Rs 2,975 plus taxes, the Delhi-Kullu flight would be operated by the newly acquired ATR-42 aircraft four days a week -- Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, an airline official said.

IA fare is much lower than charged by other private having services in this section, the official added.

The fare of Jagson airline, which operates six day a week except Sunday, starts from Rs 3,700 while Air Deccan, which has daily service in the sector, charges a minimum of about Rs 4,000.