Turbulent take-off: Himachal's Helitaxi revival faces passenger concerns over fares, restrictions, operational challenges

Senior resident Dr Sumedh Kaul has emerged as a vocal critic of the pricing model. “How do you justify the helitaxi fare between Kullu and Chandigarh?” he asked, pointing to the sharp disparity in costs. While the Mandi-Chandigarh fare has been fixed at Rs 3,500, passengers travelling from Kullu to Chandigarh have to pay Rs 8,500, effectively adding Rs 5,000 for the short Kullu-Mandi leg.

The Mandi-Chandigarh service will operate under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), commonly known as UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik), while the Kullu-Mandi segment will operate on normal fares.

The fare structure has drawn criticism as the 10-minute flight from Kullu to Mandi costs Rs 5,000, whereas the 30-minute Mandi-Chandigarh journey is priced at Rs 3,500. “This is exorbitant for a very short distance. The concerned authorities need to review and revise the fare,” Dr Kaul said.

The services, operated by Heritage Aviation Pvt Ltd, were launched on January 22 under the UDAN scheme. The initiative was aimed at improving connectivity between Shimla and key destinations, including Kullu, Rekong Peo and Chandigarh. Initial fares were fixed at Rs 3,500 for the Sanjauli (Shimla)-Kullu route and Rs 3,169 for Sanjauli-Chandigarh, making a combined Kullu-Chandigarh journey via Sanjauli cost around Rs 6,669.

However, strict operational restrictions have emerged as another challenge. Helicopter services impose a passenger weight limit of 75 kg, with additional charges applicable for excess weight. The baggage allowance is restricted to 5 kg per passenger without extra charges. These limitations, coupled with limited seating capacity, have affected passenger interest and services have largely remained suspended.

Alliance Air had also planned to restart Chandigarh-Kullu operations from November last year and released schedules for March, but the plans failed to materialise. The airline had proposed fares of Rs 5,803, with a 10-kg checked baggage allowance and 5-kg cabin baggage facility.

Local travel agents have expressed reservations over the helicopter services, citing complicated refund procedures, strict weight restrictions and limited capacity as major deterrents. They have also pointed out that Heritage Aviation has not actively engaged with local agents to promote ticket sales or discuss commission arrangements, further affecting market response.

The latest initiative follows earlier attempts at regional air connectivity that struggled to achieve sustainability. Operating air services in Himachal Pradesh remains challenging due to difficult terrain, unpredictable weather conditions, seasonal passenger demand and the high cost of maintaining services in remote areas.

The key question now is whether Himachal Pradesh can sustain viable regional air connectivity when fare structures, operational restrictions and logistical challenges continue to create hurdles for both passengers and operators.

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Caption: The screenshot of the website of Heritage Aviation showing fares between Kullu-Mandi-Chandigarh.

Caption: The Heritage Aviation helicopter at Kullu-Manali airport in Bhuntar at Kullu. File Photo