Bhopal businessman books entire 180-seater plane to ferry 3 family members amid COVID-19

To ensure that his daughter and her children journey safely to Delhi amid the coronavirus threat, a Bhopal-based liquor baron booked an entire Airbus 320 plane on May 25 to send them there. The rich man booked the 180-seater aircraft to send his daughter to her in-law's house. His daughter, her two children, and their maid were the only passengers in the plane.

A Bhopal airport official said, "A chartered flight operated from Bhopal to Delhi on May 25 with four passengers." The lady had come to her parent's house here and could not return due to the over two-months long lockdown that kicked in on March 24. Domestic flight services were partially resumed on May 25.

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Cost less than Rs 10 lakh

According to an aviation expert, air turbine fuel (ATF) price is down and other airport charges are also less at present and there were queries for such chartered flights.

"An Airbus 320 180-seater flight between Bhopal and Delhi would normally cost around Rs 10-12 lakh but the price of ATF has fallen. The cost of the journey from Bhopal to Delhi in the chartered flight may have been less than Rs 10 lakh," the expert said.

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The chartered flight landed at Bhopal airport at around 10:40 am and took off at 11:30 am, the airport official said. "Only four passengers, a woman, and her two children and a maid boarded the flight," he said. A DGCA official said the plane was booked by Bhiwandi-based Jaguar and Company. To operate a chartered flight, permission from the aviation regulator DGCA is required.

(With ANI inputs) (PTI Photo)

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