The Hindu : Front Page : `Air service from Salem will be feasible'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 13, 2006
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`Air service from Salem will be feasible'

Staff Reporter

GETTING READY: A view of the Salem Airport. - Photo: P. Goutham

SALEM: Flight service from Salem airport would be feasible, according to a survey by Sona School of Management. The institute carried out the survey to study the potential for the operation of flights from the Salem airport and to understand whether the A/C class travellers in train would be prospective customers of airlines.

A special survey team headed by the institute director D. Dhanabalan, which included David Rajesh and Nachimuthu as members, carried out exhaustive interviews with many travel/air-ticketing agents, cargo/courier booking agents and A/C class train travellers in Salem, Namakkal and Tiruchengode.The survey found out that there were 45 to 50 persons booking air tickets regularly with the travel agents from the Salem region in a day for domestic flights and three to five persons for international flights.

The survey report further said the travel agents promised the airlines their support for the commencement of flight services from Salem. With Salem witnessing increased industrial activities, businessmen were frequently travelling to cities such as Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.

Air Deccan service

Air Deccan officials are expected to be here on September 14 to finalise the flight airport. Salem District Small Scale and Tiny Industries Association president K. Mariappan told The Hindu that a high level official team led by its principal revenue officer John Kuruvilla would interact with travel agents, industrialists, traders and eminent personalities of Salem, Namakkal and Dharmapuri districts to finalise operational schedules and fares.

Air Deccan is planning to operate its services in the Salem-Chennai sector with a 48-seater aircraft from the first week of November.

The exact date of its operation will be finalised during the September 14 discussion. "Most probably it may take off from November 1 itself," Mariappan added.

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