As part of its ongoing initiative to expand air connectivity to smaller cities and towns, Air India will start a direct flight from the country’s capital Delhi to Pantnagar in Uttarakhand from October 14, 2014. This will be the only scheduled flight to the small town in northern India and will significantly enhance connectivity from the expanding region.

Pantnagar was previously part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh but from November 2000 became part of the new northern Indian state of Uttarkhand which was carved out of Himalayan and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh. It is located close to the emerging industrial area of Rudrapur and is home to India’s first agricultural university - the G.B.Pant University of Agriculture and Technology – and is a gateway point to the famous Jim Corbett Wildlife National Park, and picturesque tourist destinations like Nainitial, Ranikhet and Bheemtal.

Despite these opportunities air services into the town have been limited over recent years due to a mixture of infrastructure constraints and the inclement weather. A 4,500ft runway limits operations to small regional turboprop aircraft, while poor weather mean the destination can’t easily be served on a year-round basis. Together these factors have meant the Airports Authority of India, which operates the airport, has found it difficult to establish sustainable air links.

The Government of Uttarakhand offered a subsidy to Indian carrier Jagson Airlines to fly between Pantnagar and Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi between 2005 and 2008 but the contract was not renewed and air links were not resumed until April 2009 when Kingfisher Airlines operated a short season of flights. The now defunct carrier continued to serve the market for the following two years before ending its flights in December 2011.

Air India plans to operate a four times weekly schedule from October 14, 2014 using an ATR 42 of its subsidiary Air India Regional, formerly Alliance Air. It says the new route will “provide quick and convenient connection to government officials, business travellers, students and tourists, among others”.

The return of flights to Pantnagar is part of Air India’s strategy to enhance domestic connectivity within India and ensure many smaller communities are linked to the major cities. The carrier has already launched flights from Bhuj to Mumbai and from Lilabari, Tezpur, Silchar, Guwahati and Shillong to Kolkata using its mixed fleet of ATR 42s and Bombardier CRJ700s. It also operates flights from Port Blair to Car Nicobar under charter agreement with the Andaman Nicobar Island Administration.