Karina Airlines, a unit of KRC group, Thursday said it has got approval from the civil aviation ministry to operate flights in the northern region of the country.

"We want to set up good and efficient airlines. We have an experience of operating in the chartered aviation sector in the last three years. We understand that there is a great demand of point-to-point connections in smaller cities," Namrata Chawala, managing director of Karina Airlines said in a statement.

"Karina will be a full service airline targeting business and tourist passengers," Chawala said.

The airlines, promoted by Noida-based KRC group, has received a no-objection certificate from the government for regional scheduled airlines operations.

For its initial operations, the airlines have entered into purchase agreement for two Beechcraft 1900D and one SAAB 340B aircraft and the company expect the delivery of these aircraft in September 2012.

Karina Airlines has carried out all India market survey and initially plans to concentrate in northern region, mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

The company currently owns a fleet of three Robinson R44 aircraft and has been operating non-scheduled flights for the last three years.

"We believe that regional aviation hold an important opportunity and forms the future of growth of this sector in India. Karina Airlines intend to play a pioneering role in meeting the connectivity needs and aspiration of the people in India in Tier II and III cities," said Harsh Vardhan, director of Karina Airlines.

IANS