AAI plans helicopter services to tourist spots in Tamil Nadu

AAI plans helicopter & seaplane services from Madurai to boost tourism, connecting key destinations in southern India.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to introduce helicopter services from Madurai to help passengers travel quickly to important tourist spots and pilgrimage centres in southern districts, AAI Chairman M. Suresh has said.

Mr. Suresh, who was in Madurai on Tuesday to declare its airport operational 24x7, told The Hindu that Madurai had immense potential to attract pilgrims and tourists from far-off cities.

Madurai, which is already well-connected with Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, is expected to get more domestic flights to cities such as Varanasi, Pune, Goa, and Kolkata.

“Even if these flights are operated two or three days a week initially, it will help people from northern States to plan short trips, especially to pilgrimage spots,” Mr. Suresh said.

The availability of helicopter services would further help tourists and pilgrims to quickly reach places like Kodaikanal, Kanniyakumari, and Courtallam, he added.

Simultaneously, efforts would be made to introduce seaplane services, he said.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu had released new guidelines for operation of seaplanes for quicker transport and stimulating economic development, he said. “We are trying to connect the coastal cities like Chennai and Puducherry to promote tourism. We can extend the services up to Rameswaram,” he added.