Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

AIE all set to fly to Male

Thiruvananthapuram: Close on the heels of working out non-stop daily flights to New Delhi by linking Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, Air-India Express (AIE) is actively considering operating flights from Mumbai to Male via Thiruvananthapuram to cater to the heavy demand for seats.

AIE, no-frills airline of Air India, has already decided to begin flights from Mumbai to Male when the winter schedule comes into effect on October 29. Sources at the airline headquarters told The-Hindu that a decision on operating the flights via Thiruvananthapuram international airport would be taken soon.

The market survey carried out by the national carrier to gauge the demand has been encouraging as there is heavy demand for seats in the Male-Thiruvananthapuram-Male sector. AIE is planning to operate three weekly flights to Male via Thiruvananthapuram.

Initially, the national carrier had been reluctant to operate to the island nation as Indian was operating its flights and AIE did not want to compete with the government-owned domestic carrier. Since Indian and Air India have merged now to become an entity, the airline has in principle decided to operate flights to the island nation from the city.

AIE will use the 737-800 aircraft that can accommodate 185 passengers for the weekly flight operations to Male. At present, only Indian operates daily flights from Thiruvananthapuram airport to Male.

Sources said the introduction of the flights by AIE would be of much help to Maldivian nationals who arrive in large numbers from Male to Thiruvananthapuram for medical aid in hospitals in the city, education of their children and shopping. It has been found that 70 per cent of Maldivian nationals come to Thiruvananthapuram for medical aid.

“The commencement of AIE flights to Male will be a shot in the arm for medical tourism and help the Indian outbound and Male inbound traffic in a big way,” says Confederation of the Tourism Industry of Kerala president E.M. Najeeb.

Meanwhile, Air India is considering reducing the two-way economy fare from the domestic points for the non-stop flight that has begun in the Mumbai-New York sector. Sources said the national carrier had already reduced the two-way economy fare in the Mumbai-New York sector from Rs.80,000 to Rs.34,000.

The airline was now thinking of providing the reduced fare to those who boarded the flight from any domestic point in the country.

The airline is offering through baggage check-in facility and international boarding pass for the non-stop flight from Thiruvananthapuram international airport. Sources said the IC 168 daily flight from here to Mumbai at 2.55 p.m. was the convenient connection for those travelling by the non-stop flight to New York.

The passengers, on reaching the domestic terminal in Mumbai at 4.55 p.m., will be shifted to the international terminal. Air India will shift the baggage. The passengers can undertake customs and immigration formalities in Mumbai before boarding the flight to New York 45 minutes past midnight. Sources said the demand for the non-stop flight was ‘picking up.’

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM TODAY

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