The Hindu : Minister's warning to AI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 11, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Minister's warning to AI

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI, FEB. 10. The Minister for Non-Resident Keralite Affairs, M.M. Hassan, has said that the State Government would support a private initiative to start a passenger ship service to the Gulf, if Air-India (AI) refused to cut its "exorbitant fare" to Gulf destinations.

Mr. Hassan, at a news conference here on Tuesday, pointed out that several organisations of Gulf Malayalis had been agitating against Air-India's `unfair fares' on the Kerala-Gulf sector. They had now resolved to boycott Air-India and opt for foreign airlines. If the national carrier refused to respond positively, the Minister said, the State Government would support their cause.

One way of helping Gulf Malayalis was to facilitate the re-launch of the shipping service between Kochi and Gulf destinations. The sponsors of the service had urged the State Government to chip in to make the service a reality.

The NoRKA and the Transport Department would think of financially supporting the venture. Though the ship journey would take five days, the cost of travel would be very cheap compared to the fares of Air-India and hence would be a relief to Malayalis in the Gulf, he said.

Mr. Hassan said the State Government had lifted the Sales Tax on aviation turbine fuel for international flights and reduced the Sales Tax rate for domestic flights to 25 per cent in the recent State budget in order to facilitate a cut in the airfare.

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