The Hindu : Kerala News : More Air India Express services from Karipur soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala

More Air India Express services from Karipur soon

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Air India Express (AIE) will launch more services to the Gulf from the Kozhikode international airport at Karipur soon after the Haj season, V. Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India, said here on Monday.

At a press conference, Mr. Thulasidas said the services would be increased during the current winter schedule. Instructions had been given for it.

He said some daily services would be operated twice a day. He hinted that the increase would be in the range of 10 to 13 services.

He said as many flights as possible had been diverted for the Haj pilgrimage. He said the airline had to take flights on rent for three months to fulfil the commitment. Even the Air India Express aircraft kept on standby at the Kozhikode airport had to be deployed.

He said operating flights from Kochi to Mumbai for U.S.- and Europe-bound passengers was not possible with the present fleet strength. Such a hub-and-spoke operation (carrying passengers from various places to a hub airport for taking them to their ultimate destinations; in this case Kochi is the spoke and Mumbai the hub) would be considered in due course.

At present, Air India operated an early morning flight on the Mumbai-Kochi-Mumbai sector for international connection passengers. But a delay on the Mumbai-Kochi leg meant that return from here would also be delayed, presenting the passengers with the risk of missing their connection flights.

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