The Centre has approved the National Civil Aviation Policy for increasing air connectivity, allowing new domestic airlines to fly abroad quickly, and opening up the skies for European and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.

Start-up airlines can now fly abroad after operating at least 20 planes or 20 percent of their total flying capacity, whichever is higher, on domestic routes.

As a part of its regional connectivity scheme, passengers will be charged Rs 2,500 for an hour’s flight on regional routes by the airlines. The government will provide financial support to fund airlines’ losses on such un-served routes.

The ceiling on airfares will be proportionate to the flying hour.

Domestic airlines will be required to provide more flights to the north-eastern region, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep as the route dispersal guidelines have been amended to add six more sectors to the metro routes. As per the guidelines, on such north-eastern and other routes, airlines are mandated to fly 10 percent of their total capacity they deploy on metro routes.