Pressure on AI Express to Start Riyadh-Dhahran-M'lore Direct Flight
Daijiworld News Network
Dammam, Nov 23: The initiative over the Dubai-Mangalore direct flight has prompted the Karnataka and northern Malabar residents in all other Gulf countries to start similar campaigns from their respective places faster than ever.
In an interesting breakthrough, the NRI's living in Saudi Arabia, who had been making efforts to have direct flights to Mangalore much before the Dubai campaign, have taken up the cause seriously.
The West Coast NRI Forum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been playing a key role in trying to make Bajpe an International airport. Whenever there was an opportunity, the NRI forum has done its best to convince ministers or airline officials to consider connecting Saudi to Mangalore.
File Pic
In the latest development, the NRI forum has exerted extreme pressure on Air India Express which is currently the only capable airline to fly Mangalore directly, to start the flight from Riyadh-Dammam-Mangalore or Jeddah-Dammam-Mangalore.
In a convincingly-worded letter to Air India Charters' COO P P Singh the COO, the forum organizing secretary M V Kamath has urged the airline to start immediate flights connecting Saudi destinations to Mangalore.
In his letter on behalf of NRI Forum Saudi Arabia, he further said that a large number of Mangaloreans and northern Keralites are residing in the Kingdom, and it is the long-pending dream of the NRI's to have connectivity with Mangalore direct.
They have thanked Air India Express, the Indian government, Mangalore Airport authorities and KNRI Forum UAE coordinator Rajesh Sequeira, besides Daijiworld.com, for their efforts in making the Dubai-Mangalore dream possible.
Speaking to Daijiworld.com from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, the West Coast NRI Forum president Farooque Sabandari said, "We have been running from pillar to post at all political levels and the press / media to achieve our dream to get a flight from Dammam to Mangalore till date. Yet, we will never rest till we attain our dream project of getting a flight by the national carrier."
Further he said, "The eagerness and also patience shown by the West coast NRI's hailing from Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapur, Byndoor, Bhatkal, Honnavar, Coorg and adjacent areas of Kerala and the adjoining districts needs to be appreciated by one and all. We, the West Coast NRI's, are all humble, patient and optimistic about the introduction of direct flights from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Mangalore in the immediate near future."
Dhahran-Bahrain-Mangalore:
In another interesting development, a few community leaders from Bahrain who have chosen to remain anonymous, have started a mission demanding Dhahran-Bahrain-Mangalore flights. "Bahrain may have enough load to start a direct Mangalore flight. But its neibouring airport Dhahran (Dammam - Saudi Arabia) and Bahrain will have more opportunities. We have already started the plan to appeal to government and airlines officials," said the spokesperson for Bahrain NRI committee.
Doha-Dubai-Mangalore
A direct flight from Doha to Mangalore will be another need of the hour. A couple of noted businesspersons have already started their ground-work in a silent way.
"We do not want to publicize the matter for the time being. It is still in the initial stage. We hope that Doha will be connected to Mangalore direct by 2007," said a businessperson, who is in the forefront of this mission, but did not want his name to be published.
Conclusion:
Direct connection to Mangalore from different points is the need of the hour. Efforts are on from all sides. Air India Express as well as the ministry of civil aviation ministry are aware of this necessity. But the problem is the shortage of fleet.
All readers know that it may take a long time for foreign airlines like Jazeera, Emirates, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Saudia and others to start flights to Mangalore due to government regulations and also since Mangalore is still notified as a 'custom' airport and not a full-fledged international airport.
Daijiworld.com will keep you informed of all further developments.
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