Rachana demands resumption of Mangalore-Kuwait flight service
Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore(MD)
Mangalore, Feb 14: Rachana, Catholic Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday February 14 held a protest against Air India Express over the suspension of Mangalore-Kuwait Flights by Air
The protest was held in front of the Air India Express office, Lalbagh.
Addressing the protest, Ivan D'Souza, president of Rachana said, "Reports in the media that Air India Express has officially wound up its flight services between Mangalore and Kuwait from Thursday, February 13, apparently due to the lack of availability of aircraft after the expiry of the contract, is shocking news for the people of region. What we fail to understand is how the said services can continue on the extant route of Kozhikode to Kuwait even as it bypasses a location that has thousands of passengers desirous of using the services from Mangalore to Kuwait.
"As a state owned airline, Air India Express has a social obligation to serve the thousands of citizens that travel from this region to Kuwait, and the existing flight services were indeed a boon to citizens of the coastal region. The flight services also had a very positive impact on the economy of the region," he said.
Further he added, "Air India Express was the only airline to operate between Mangalore-Kuwait, serving thousands of expatriates travelling from Kuwait to coastal Karnataka, from Bhatkal to Mangalore and the northern parts of Kerala. Suspension of flights is going to have disastrous effects all around and I urge our minister for civil aviation Ajith Singh to restore the services immediately.
"If this service is not restored we will be forced to take the matter further, to ensure that the region and its people do not suffer on account on this sudden withdrawal of the Mangalore Kuwait flight services," he added.
A memorandum was submitted to the Air India Express manager Nagesh Shetty, who assured that he would talk to his seniors and promised to look into the matter as soon as possible. A copy of the memorandum was also sent to addressed to union ministers Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily.
President of Konkan Overseas Returnees Welfare Association (KORWA) Louis Lobo, KORWA vice-president Elias Sanctis, Rachana general secretary John Monteiro, Ashith Pereira, Jessie Pinto, Flora Hislop, Anil Lobo, Oswald D'Cunha, John Tauro, Deepak Monteiro, Cyril D'Souza, Chennappa Gowda and others were present.