Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, May 15: The second special flight from Dubai to Mangaluru International Airport is scheduled on Monday, May 18. Air India Express B737-800NG aircraft with maximum 177/180 capacity will take off from terminal 2 of Dubai airport at 13.30 pm UAE time and arrive in Mangaluru at 18.30 pm local time.
Following the chaos during the arrival of the first special flight, enough precautions have been taken by the district administration for the smooth passage of passengers from Dubai especially pregnant women, children, senior citizens and passengers with special or emergency needs. After the video of two pregnant women sharing their painful experience with Daijiworld TV live show went viral, Mangaluru airport received a massive backlash from Mangalureans all over the world. Airport director V V Rao then had assured his full attention to the next flights to Mangaluru and also assured that such incidents will not be repeated. Daijiworld has reliably learnt that, Mangaluru deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh during a video conference on Thursday with all concerned officials instructed that no inconvenience should be caused to passengers especially the needy. The airport director, police commissioner and other top officials are expected to be present at the airport during the arrival, it is learnt.
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No confirmation on flights from other gulf countries has led to a huge disappointment for people of coastal region in the Middle East who want to return to their home. Earlier, Air India Express announced special flights from Muscat and Doha to Mangaluru via Bengaluru. But as per latest schedule received by Daijiworld, Muscat and Doha flights will fly only up to Bengaluru and no Mangaluru passengers have been allowed to book the tickets.
Daijiworld tried to contact top officials to get clarity on the issue, but it is learnt that embassies in Doha and Muscat have not requested flights for Mangaluru.
It is opined by many from the two countries that now it is time to put pressure on their respective embassies to get direct flight to Mangaluru. If not so, at least they should allow booking to Bengaluru and a special bus should be allowed to ferry the passengers from Bengaluru to Mangaluru.
Speaking to Daijiworld, Dr Arathi Krishna, former NRI cell head, who is in touch with the embassies in the gulf through her personal capacity, has assured that, she will put her best efforts in getting permission to ply buses from Bengaluru to Mangaluru.
However, there are no updates on flights from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to Mangaluru yet. Dr Arathi Krishna has assured that next week there is a possibility of flight from Saudi Arabia.
Daijiworld is constantly in touch with Air India Express, the district administration and Dr Arathi Krishna in India, and also with Praveen Shetty who took the initiative to arrange the flight from Dubai.