The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Restore Indian Airlines flights to Gulf: Pinarayi

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Tuesday, Nov 03, 2009
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Restore Indian Airlines flights to Gulf: Pinarayi

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has demanded review of the decision to operate Air India Express flights in place of Indian Airlines (IA) flights from Kozhikode to various Gulf destinations, particularly those to Sharjah.

In a statement here on Monday, Mr. Vijayan said that the decision would be a blow to passengers from Kerala.

Those travelling to the Gulf by Indian Airlines flights were currently being permitted to carry luggage weighing 30 kg in the onward direction and 40 kg in the reverse direction.

Once the Air India Express flights became operational, this would come down to 20 kg and 30 kg respectively.

Further, Air India Express did not have business class and passenger class. Nor were there were any facility for cancellation of tickets and refund of the ticket fare. This would imply that the passengers would have to incur heavy losses when they cancel their Air India Express tickets.

This would prove to be a major blow to Gulf passengers from Kerala who rescheduled their journey often on account of job-related issues.

The change would also bring to an end the present practice of the Indian Airlines ferrying bodies of persons who die in the Gulf free of cost to the State, Mr. Vijayan pointed out.

The CPI(M) leader said there were allegations that the changes were being effected to serve the interests of foreign airlines and called upon all concerned to restore the Indian Airlines flights to protect the interests of the Gulf passengers.

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