Alliance Air (India) (9I, Delhi International) is set to launch flights connecting Delhi International with each of Ludhiana and Pathankot in July under India's RCS scheme known as UDAN, reports the Times of India. It will be the first commercial operations for both regional airports.
Ludhiana, located in northern India, briefly saw charter operations in 2016, when AL!JSR connected the city to Delhi using a single Beech (twin turboprop) King Air 200C, VT-SRC (cn BL-139). The presence of high tension power lines near the airport had prevented the installation of a DVOR navigation system, limiting its operations, however the Hindustan Times reports that this has now been remedied.
Pathankot airport, also in India's far north, was opened in 2006 in a bid to bring tourism to the area, but has so far failed to attract a carrier.
Alliance Air is a regional subsidiary of Air India (AI, Delhi International), and was awarded eight routes under the UDAN scheme. It operates a fleet of nine ATR72-600s and two ATR42-300s on flights within India.
