Star Air would upgrade its Kalaburagi-Bengaluru flight service from thrice weekly to daily effective April 16, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI
Following the visit of Shashikant Yakkarnall, Regional Sales Manager (South) of Star Air, to the office of the Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCI) on April 9, the KKCCI president Sharanabasappa M. Pappa and secretary Shivaraj V. Inginshetty announced that the company would upgrade its Kalaburagi-Bengaluru flight service from thrice weekly to daily effective April 16.
According to the office-bearers, the decision by the airline was a significant move in boosting regional air connectivity and, thus, trade and commerce activities in the region.
Shashikant Yakkarnall, Regional Sales Manager (South) of Star Air, being greeted by office-bearers of the Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCI) in Kalaburagi on April 9, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
ARUN KULKARNI
“This enhancement is expected to greatly benefit business travellers, tourists, and the general public by improving accessibility and convenience. The upgrade comes on the heels of a recent meeting between the government of Karnataka, led by Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister and Kalaburagi district in-charge Priyank Kharge, and private airline operators. The discussions focused on addressing regional air connectivity challenges, including those specific to Kalaburagi, marking a positive step toward bolstering the region’s air infrastructure. We had repeatedly raised concerns about the issue with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, Lok Sabha member from Kalaburagi, and the State Government, emphasising the need for better links to major destinations and enhanced airport facilities,” a KKCCI office-bearer said claiming that their efforts played a pivotal role in highlighting the region’s connectivity gaps.
While welcoming the resumption of daily flights to Bengaluru, KKCCI has also called for the reinstatement of discontinued routes to New Delhi and Tirupati, which, they claim, are critical for business and religious travel. Furthermore, the KKCCI has proposed the introduction of new air services connecting Kalaburagi to Mumbai, Ahmedabad (via Surat), Rajasthan (Kishangarh), and Goa.
The KKCCI believes that these routes hold immense potential for driving trade, tourism, and overall regional development.
KKCCI president Sharanabasappa M. Pappa stressed on the importance of further expanding the network to meet the region’s growing needs. “This is a step in the right direction, but our vision is to see Kalaburagi airport emerge as a key hub for both domestic and regional travel,” said Mr. Pappa.
Published – April 11, 2025 10:35 am IST
