Telangana Polls: Helicopter Hourly Rates Surge

In the run-up to the Telangana Assembly elections, political parties are scrambling to secure additional helicopters for their star campaigners.

As the election date of November 30 approaches, the desire to cover more ground and attend numerous public meetings has driven the spike in helicopter demand.

The upcoming election in Telangana has intensified the competition for these aerial campaign tools. The demand for helicopters has surged, leading to increased prices, with companies in Hyderabad and North India catering to the rising political demand. Twin Engine helicopters are normatively assigned to top leaders, and all flights are restricted to operate before sunset.

Flying Birds, a Mumbai-based aviation firm, has witnessed a surge in demand, and the hourly rental rates, which ranged from Rs 55,000 to Rs 1.3 lakh in 2019, have skyrocketed to Rs 2 lakh – 3.5 lakh this year.

Helicopter and small aircraft rental prices have surged due to increased demand amid upcoming elections. Single-engine choppers now cost ₹1.50-₹1.75 lakh per hour, while twin-engine ones range from ₹2.75-₹3 lakh per hour.

Leaders, including Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, are extensively using choppers to address multiple rallies daily. The ruling party, BRS, has two helicopters at its disposal, with one exclusively for the Chief Minister. The BJP and Congress have also enlisted three and one chopper(s), respectively, for their key figures.