Purnia: Air travel from Purnia is finally becoming a reality. Star Air has announced that it will start flights from Purnia to Ahmedabad from 15 September. This will be the first scheduled passenger service from the newly built Purnia airport. Bookings for the service have already started, giving local residents an opportunity to plan their travel in advance. The airline said the flights will help improve trade, tourism and cultural exchange between Gujarat and Bihar.
For the first two weeks, the airline will operate flights three times a week — on Monday, Friday and Sunday. From 29 September, the service will become daily, making it easier for passengers to plan frequent travel. According to the schedule, the first flight will leave Ahmedabad at 12.15pm and reach Purnia at 2.45pm. It will then depart Purnia at 3.15pm and arrive in Ahmedabad at 5.15pm.
Star Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, Shilpa Bhatia, said that Purnia airport has now been added to the airline’s network as its 29th station and also the first in Bihar. The airline will use its modern Embraer E-175 aircraft on this route, which is expected to give passengers a comfortable travel experience. The new route is being launched under the Regional Connectivity Scheme of the government, which is aimed at linking smaller towns and cities through air travel.
The inauguration of Purnia airport is also scheduled for 15 September and will be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Along with Star Air, IndiGo has also announced plans to start flights from Purnia to Kolkata from 17 September, though bookings for that route are yet to open. With two major airlines preparing to operate, Purnia is set to become an important new hub for air travel in Bihar.
