Demand for chartered planes and helicopters has surged to 40% as political leaders dash around the country to woo voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2024. The demand for chartered planes is 30-40% higher in this year’s general elections compared to the previous polls, Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) Managing Director Captain R K Bali told PTI news agency.
Besides, the hourly rates for chartered services have also witnessed a spike in view of Lok Sabha polls. Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) President (Western Region) Captain Uday Gelli told PTI that normally the hourly rate for single-engine helicopters is around ₹80,000 to 90,000 while it is about ₹1.5 to 1.7 lakh for twin-engine helicopters.
However, during the election time, “Rate is higher at up to ₹1.5 lakh for single-engine helicopters and up to ₹3.5 lakh for twin-engine helicopters”. For the chartered aircraft, the prices can vary between ₹4.5 lakh to ₹5.25 lakh per hour, he added. A single-engine helicopter has a seating capacity for up to 7 people, including a pilot while a twin-engine helicopter can accommodate up to 12 people.
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With more use of aircraft by political parties during election campaigning, the earnings of the chartered plane operators may shoot up more than 15-20% compared to normal times, an official said.
Gelli said the use of helicopters is being seen more in bigger states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
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As per the official data, there were 112 Non-Scheduled Operators (NSOPs) at the end of December 2023. Generally, NSOPs are entities that do not have a particular fixed schedule and fly when there is a requirement. These operators have aircraft and helicopters, with seating capacities varying from 3 to 37. The planes include Falcon 2000, Bombardier Global 5000, Twin Otter DHC-6-300, Hawker Beechcraft, Gulfstream G-200, and Cessna Citation 560XL, according to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
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In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling BJP incurred expenses totalling more than ₹250 crore on aircraft/ helicopters, as per the party’s annual audited accounts submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
On the other hand, the Congress party shelled out ₹126 crore in travelling during the same period. However, the party did not mention aircraft/helicopter expenses separately.
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Published: 14 Apr 2024, 01:34 PM IST