Andhra Pradesh takes the next step to becoming one of the developed states in the country. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stated in a recent meeting with the airline operators that public transport facilities will be provided to all the operational airports within the state connecting them with the nearby cities. This will be done as a means to encourage air connectivity across the Andhra Pradesh. He said that his government would help and provide the aids required to support to make the state an airline hub.

He suggested the airline operators to participate in the bidding for the routes involving airports in the state in the upcoming Regional Connectivity Scheme. Moreover, AP government has also come forward to subsidise the costs of the airline companies in making the airports of the state as their night landing base.

AP government currently providing viability gap funding to airlines on two routes between Vijjayawada-Kadapa and Vijayawada-Tirupati. It is also encouraging the operators to introduce more services between these routes besides between Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada-Hyderabad. An airline company representative commented that “Unlike in big cities, the connectivity to the regional airports from the nearby towns and cities has been an issue. A person living in Guntur may find it difficult to catch an early morning flight at Gannavaram airport while the private cabs charge exorbitantly. Public transport facility can fix this connectivity gap at a reasonable cost for passengers“.

A no-frills airport is also being constructed at Dagadarthi in Nellore district, which falls under Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor, in addition to the government’s plans to go ahead with the bidding process for the new greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram. Vat has already been reduced by the government on aviation turbine fuel to 1% to help make the destinations in AP more viable for the airline operators.