Deccan Charters is an aviation company based in Bengaluru, India that operates helicopter and fixed-wing charter services. Its main base is HAL Bangalore International Airport.[4] Deccan Technical Services, the maintenance unit of Deccan Charters, maintains helicopters on behalf of 50 Indian corporates such as Reliance Industries and Essar Group.[5] Their Mumbai centre is the authorised customer service centre to support Sikorsky S-76 helicopters.[6] In March 2017, the firm bagged 21 regional air routes under the Indian Government's regional connectivity scheme, UDAN.[7]
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| Founded | 1997 | ||||||
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| Fleet size | 5[2] | ||||||
| Parent company | Deccan Charters Pvt Ltd | ||||||
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, India | ||||||
| Key people | Captain G. R. Gopinath (Managing Director)[3] | ||||||
| Website | www.deccanair.com | ||||||
History edit
The airline started operations on 3 December 1997.[4] as Deccan Aviation. It established Simplifly Deccan (formerly named Air Deccan), a low-cost airline in March 2003. In July 2004, Deccan Aviation partnered with the Favourite Group of Sri Lanka to launch a helicopter charter company called Deccan Aviation Lanka. In early 2007, the company started fixed-wing charter operations. Deccan Charters exited from the company in November 2011, after selling their 48% stake to Singapore-based Millennium Aero which renamed the company as Millennium Airlines. [8] In February 2012, Deccan Charters partnered with Taj Air, Bjets and other partners under the Powerfly brand to provide an air charter membership program through which customers can access Jets, Turbo Props and Helicopters.[9] Deccan Charters Ltd. initiated non-scheduled chartered services in Gujarat under the brand name of Deccan Shuttles in August 2012. This service connected Ahmedabad, Surat, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Kandla.[10] In April 2013, Deccan announced its decision to suspend all Gujarat operations citing poor patronage.[11] In August 2014, Deccan Charters partnered with Luan Airways for providing medical evacuation services in North-East India.[12]
In April 2017, Deccan charters bid for and won 34 regional Indian routes under the UDAN scheme.[7] Operating under the brand name Air Deccan, it will commence operations in December 2017 with flights between Mumbai and Nashik. Air Deccan will operate 19-seater Beechcraft 1900D turboprop aircraft that are suitable for short-haul flights. The airline has plans to connect Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Shillong to regional towns in the vicinity of these cities. [13]
Air Deccan edit
In March 2017, the firm was awarded 21 regional air routes under the Indian Government's regional connectivity scheme, UDAN.[7] Deccan Charters decided to use the popular Air Deccan brand to launch these services[14] that will connect emerging towns across Indian states of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura at affordable prices.
Air Deccan received the scheduled commuter operator (SCO) permit from regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 22 December 2017 and the first flight, DN 1320, took off for Jalgaon Airport, from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) the following afternoon. In the first phase of operations, Air Deccan plans to connect to Jalgaon, Nashik and Kolhapur Airport from Mumbai and Pune Airport.[15]
Fleet edit
The Deccan Charters fleet consists of the following fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters:[16]
- Aérospatiale AS-355F Twin Ecureuil
- Beechcraft 1900D
- Bell 206 Jet Ranger
- Bell 206L-3 Long Ranger
- Bell 206L-4 Long Ranger
- Bell 212
- Bell 407
- Schweizer 330
- 2 Pilatus PC-12
- Helitourism
Deccan Charters also provides tourism by helicopter.[17]
Destinations edit
- Puttaparthi (Helicopter)
- Tirupati (Helicopter)
- Surat (Offshore service-Helicopter)
- Amarnath (Helicopter)
- Katra (Helicopter)
- Vaishno Devi (Helicopter)
- Bangalore
- Hampi (Helicopter)
- Shravanabelagola (Helicopter)
- Cochin
- Trivandrum
- Guruvayur (Helicopter)
- Thekkady (Helicopter)
- Agra (Helicopter)
References edit
- ^ "About Deccan Aviation". Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ List of NSOP
- ^ "Deccan Aviation official website "Management"". Deccanair.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 2007. p. 72.
- ^ "GR Gopinath's Deccan Charters faces severe crisis; puts entire fleet of aircraft on sale". The Economic Times. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "Captain Gopinath back in the game; Deccan Charter to fly on regional routes". The Hindu Business Line. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ a b c "Captain Gopinath back in the game; Deccan Charter to fly on regional routes". Business Standard. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "Singapore firm makes strategic investment in SL's Deccan Aviation". Sunday Times. 8 January 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "Deccan Charters enters into alliance with Taj Air and BJETS". The Hindu Business Line. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "Deccan Shuttles to commence air connectivity in Gujarat". The Economic Times. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
- ^ "Deccan Charters to stop flight services within Gujarat from May 1". The Indian Express. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Captain Gopinath back in the game; Deccan Charter to fly on regional routes". The Telegraph (Calcutta). 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "Aviation pioneer GR Gopinath makes comeback with Air Deccan, to start disruptive Re 1 tickets". Business Today (India). 15 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "About us". AirDeccan website. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ "After KFA collapse, Air Deccan takes off maiden flight to Jalgaon". The Pioneer. 24 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ Deccan Charters official website "Fleet details" Archived 17 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Helitourism of Deccan Aviation". Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
