Alliance Air launched its operation on the Kolkata-Guwahati-Aizawl-Shillong sector on Monday.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Civil Aviation Gen Dr VK Singh flagged off the airline via video conference from Delhi.
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Mizoram health minister Dr R Lalthanglian and sports minister Robert Romawia accompanied by other officials also attended the flag-off programme from the Chief Minister Office here.
Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said that the Centre gives top priority to the Northeast and the launching of Alliance Air on Monday was one of the manifestations of the Centre’s concern for the region.
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He said that Mizoram is one of the important gateways to Southeast Asian countries.
He said that Mizoram has the potential to export flowers like Anthurium, vegetables and fruits and as a result of this the Aviation Ministry has included the lone Lengpui airport near Aizawl among several airports in the country, which were identified for upgradation to land cargo flights besides passengers flights.
VK Singh also pointed out that efforts would be made to introduce other airlines to improve air connectivity between Mizoram and the rest of the country.
Alliance Air would operate an ATR-72 aircraft four days a week- Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays,
It will operate on the Kolkata-Guwahati-Aizawl-Shillong route.
Mizoram currently has two existing airlines operating from the state.
While Air India operates an Airbus A319 aircraft on the Kolkata-Guwahati-Aizawl-Imphal sector four days a week, IndiGO flies an Airbus A320 on the Delhi-Aizawl and Bangalore-Guwahati-Aizawl routes.