AIE to operate extra flights to meet festival rush

AIE to operate extra flights to meet festival rush

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Aug 7, 2012 : Air India Express (AIE) will operate extra international flights for the upcoming festive season at four airports, including Mangalore Airport.

AI Express will introduce more than 50 flights in the Middle East Sector to deal with the rush during festivals such as Onam and Eid-ul-Fitr. Most of the services will be to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Dammam, and Sharjah from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Mangalore. Some flights will also operate from Mumbai and Chennai.

The national carrier will operate flights along the Kozhikode to Dubai to Kozhikode route on August 18 and August 25 and another Mangalore to Kozhikode to Dubai to Mangalore flight on September 7.

Besides, AI Express will operate extra Kochi to Dubai to Kochi flights on August 8, August 15, August 18, and September 9, in the Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai sector on August 8, 13, and 15 and again on September 8 and September 14.

A special Kozhikode to Doha to Kozhikode flight will also be operated on August 25, September 2, and September 9, along with an extra flight along the Kochi to Abu Dhabi to Kochi route on Aug 26, along the Thiruvananthapuram to Abu Dhabi to Thiruvananthapuram route on Aug 30, and along the Kozhikode to Abu Dhabi to Kozhikode route on Aug 15.

The airline will also operate an extra Kozhikode to Kochi to Kuwait to Kochi to Kozhikode flight on September 5. An extra Mumbai to Dammam to Mumbai flight on Tuesdays and Fridays from August 21 to September 14 will also be operated.

Connection flights will also be operated from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode on all Thursdays till September 13.

 AI Express will get back to its normal schedule by the end of September while AI will get back to normal by the end of August. An indefinite strike launched by its employees had forced AI Express to cancel flights from Mangalore and Kerala while AI had cancelled at least 20 percent of its services throughout India.

According to an AI official, the national carrier is re-rostering around 400 pilots to rejoin their duty in phases. The pilots have to undergo several tests before they can operate flights independently as they were not on the roster for over 30 days.