Jamshedpur: In a major relief for air travellers of the Steel City, flight services from Sonari Airport to Bhubaneswar and Kolkata are set to continue. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given verbal approval for the license renewal of IndiaOne Air under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-Udan).
License Extension and Operations
The flight operations from Sonari Airport began three years ago, and the initial license was set to expire today, January 31, 2026. While formal written orders are awaited, the Ministry has greenlit the extension. Tata Steel management has already granted its consent for continued operations from its airport.
Overcoming Recent Setbacks
Scheduled services at Sonari Airport faced disruptions following the crash of an IndiaOne Air aircraft in Rourkela on January 10, 2026. However, the airline is actively working to restore normalcy:
- New Aircraft: The company has ordered a new 9-seater Cessna Caravan aircraft.
- Timeline: The new plane is expected to join the fleet by March 2026.
- Route Restoration: Regular flights on the Jamshedpur–Bhubaneswar and Jamshedpur–Kolkata routes will resume immediately upon the arrival of the new aircraft.
Currently, the airline is maintaining its operations on the Bhubaneswar–Jaipur and Bhubaneswar–Rourkela routes with its existing fleet.
Pending State Approval
While the Central Government and Tata Steel have cleared the path for future flights, approval from the Jharkhand Government remains pending. Despite an application being submitted by IndiaOne Air management several days ago, the state government is yet to finalize its decision, which remains the final hurdle for seamless operations.
