Short-haul flights Vs Road / Rail transport

Ashwin had indicated in one of my earlier posts that Paramount Airways was not on firm ground and had put some flights on hold. The Hindu mentions about the crowded nature of the Chennai – Delhi sector. The article quotes Paramount’s CEO saying that some flights to Kochi were put on hold. I haven't heard of any VC investing in Paramount. It looks like they are funding it out of accrued earnings (from their group companies).

Paramount has also unveiled its plans for a late night shuttle service between Chennai and Bangalore. IMHO Air travel may not always be the best and convenient mode of transport, especially for distances which can be covered by road / rail in about 6 hours. Take the case of the Bangalore – Chennai sector. Airports are typically located outside the city and it takes anywhere between 45 – 60 minutes (both ways) to commute from the airport to home / office. The waiting time during boarding and security check could take about an hour and the flying time will take another 45 minutes. If you provide for all the above, the door-to-door time might take about 4 hours. If you travel by bus or train, the travel time from Chennai to Bangalore could be 6 to7 hours. Boarding and alighting points for buses and trains are typically located centrally and hence this could also work out in favour of people taking the bus / train. The same logic can be extended to other sectors, which can be covered in an overnight journey.