IndiGo defers Aurangabad service launch to year-end

Aurangabad: In contrast to claims of IndiGo launching its flight services from Aurangabad and Nashik by October-end, the budget airline has shot internal communication to its employees — informing them that the launch at these destinations has been postponed to the end of the year.

The airline instead told its staffers that operations from Shirdi airport would start by October-end.

“The launch of Aurangabad and Nashik has been deferred to the end of 2019. Shirdi will be launched in October 2019,” the communication said.

The airline had started its office in Aurangabad and had also hired staff. The airline’s communication, however, said that the staff in Aurangabad and Nashik will be transferred to their respective base locations as soon as the stations are launched. The employees recruited for these two destinations have been given the option to take a permanent transfer to Shirdi.

An insider said: “Since the deputation period at Pune has been prolonged, the employees have been asked to find accommodation around the Pune airport. During this time, they will be paid a deputation allowance.”

IndiGo’s decision to prioritize Shirdi operations — over Aurangabad, which is the tourism capital of Maharashtra and is also an industrial, medical, administrative and educational hub of the region — has stunned many in the tourism and hospitality industry. In fact, the authorities and the Travel Agents’ Association of Aurangabad had been claiming that IndiGo’s Aurangabad service will take off by end of October. However, it is also acknowledged that the airline had not officially declared the dates for the Aurangabad service.

“The airline has started its office in Aurangabad, but without officially receiving a communication from the airline informing us about its schedules, we cannot comment on it,” airport director D G Salve said. Similarly, Aurangabad Tourism Promoters’ Guild’s president Jaswant Singh, said, “Though there have been positive signs, there was no specific communication about IndiGo’s schedule to start Aurangabad service.”

On September 1, Trujet had started its service connecting the city to Ahmedabad, while Spicejet is set to start its service between Aurangabad and Delhi from October 8. Air India, meanwhile, is all set to start a flight connecting Aurangabad to Udaipur from October 16.