Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SM)
Mangalore, May 16: Former chief minister Veerappa Moily has written to the central government requesting them to permit Mangalore airport to operate direct Haj flights.
Moily in a letter dated Monday May 14 to minister of state for Haj, ministry of external affairs E Ahamad stated that the Mangalore airport has the amenities of an international airport with about nine international flights to West Asian countries taking-off from here.
Moily said that a massive number of pilgrims from Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Kasargod districts undertake the Haj pilgrimage yearly. They face problems because they have to travel either to Bangalore or Calicut to board the flight to Jeddah. Instead, arrangements could be made at the Mangalore airport for direct flights to Saudi Arabia.