Transport Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar will be on the inaugural flight that connects New Delhi and Shillong on December 21, it was announced in a press release today.
The route will be operated by new airline flybig (owned by the Mumbai-based Big Charter Pvt Ltd), which currently does not operate any flights but has netted 14 routes under the regional connectivity scheme of the central government.
The airline will operate this flight twice weekly in the initial stages. However, a search by Highland Post online failed to turn up any travel websites that sell tickets. Indeed, even flybig’s own website is largely devoid of information.
Flybig was awarded the contract to fly from Shillong to New Delhi through a tender floated by the Meghalaya Transport Corporation at the start of the year.
“Due to Covid-19 restrictions, flybig would take some time to operate its own aircraft on this route,” the release said. However, to meet the start date, the company will charter a Bombardier Q400 aeroplane. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft that can seat fewer than 100 passengers.
“Additional sectors and flights out of Shillong are planned in the subsequent months,” the government statement added.
The inaugural flight will depart the national capital at 10am and land at Umroi Airport at 1:10pm. The return flight will leave at 1:50pm and land in Delhi at 5pm.
