Flight to Tezu, India’s easternmost tip, on Aug 16 | Economic Times

The easternmost tip of the country in Arunachal Pradesh will finally get its first civilian air connectivity on the 75th year of Independence. Tezu, one of the oldest towns in the frontier state bordering China, will be connected by passenger flights with the rest of the country from August 16.The airline on Wednesday announced the launch of the maiden flight to hill station in Lohit district from Guwahati. Flybig will be offering special fares to armed force personnel on the Tezu-Guwahati and Guwahati-Pasighat routes this August to commemorate 75 years of India's independence.Announcing the launch of the new route, Gaurav Rathore, chief commercial officer at Flybig, said, “This challenging phase of the pandemic has reiterated the importance of air connectivity and we are committed to bring air connectivity to the underserved areas of the country. Tezu is a beautiful destination for travellers and pilgrims alike. A flight between Tezu and Guwahati is a remarkable landmark that will make travel convenient for passengers.” He thanked chief minister Pema Khandu for his support in carrying out the operation successfully.Tezu Airport is located at a elevation of about 758 feet, with a terminal area spread over 4,000 sqm. Initially it had a peak-hour handling capacity for 200 passengers, but adding Tezu in the commercial aviation map may turn into a big boost for the tourism sector in Arunachal Pradesh, aviation industry insiders said.Newly built with a project cost of around Rs 145 crore, the redeveloped Tezu Airport suits ATR-72 aircraft, which are smaller in size and economically viable for smaller cities. The present Tezu Airport was an advanced landing ground earlier, mostly used by defence forces.Arunachal Pradesh had an air network with Pasighat previously and now this the Tezu-Guwahati route will have four flights per week, Flybig informed. Additionally, Flybig is reintroducing the Delhi- Shillong flight in association with the Meghalaya Transport Corporation from August 16.Flybig began operations in January 2021 focusing on connecting tier-2 and tier-3 cities within India. The airline operate flights to Indore, Bhopal, Raipur, Kolkata, Guwahati, Rupsi, Dibrugrah, Pasighat, Agartala and the new addition Tezu. It also offers charter services from Delhi to Shillong.