Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
With Inputs from Media Release
Mangalore, Aug 2: With the aim to coax authorities to provide better facilities at Mangalore International Airport, representatives of various organizations of GCC countries have decided to hold a dharna at DC's office here on August 18, under the banner of Mangalore International Airport Users' Forum.
A media release from the Forum stated, "To impress upon the governments concerned, we the representatives of the various organizations of GCC Countries have come together under the banner of Mangalore International Airport Users' Forum and have planned to sit on dharna on August 18 before the DC's office in Mangalore. (We will) submit a memorandum with a charter of demands to the departments concerned through the DC, airport director, customs commissioner, the local member of Parliament (MP), and state minister."
Vakwady Praveen Shetty, chairman of Fortune Group of Hotels, UAE will inaugurate the protest at 9.30 am. Former airport director and chairman of Karnataka NRI Forum M R Vasudeva, and KESEF chairman B A Mahmood are expected to take part in the protest. Prabhakar Ambalthere is the chief coordinator of the protest.
The Forum's demands include:
• Budget airlines flights to Mangalore from GCC countries
• Cancellation of airport user's fee in Mangalore
• A memorial for the Bajpe air crash victims with their details and immediate distribution of compensation to their next-of-kin.
• Increase in luggage limit and proper handling of luggage.
• Cordial treatment from the in-flight and ground staff of Air India Express.
• Reconstitute the non-resident Kannadiga welfare forum for the benefit of Kannadigas ( applying only for residents of Karnataka)
• Full-fledged services at existing Mangalore passport office
The release further stated, "After several years of fight we considered ourselves fortunate when an Air India Express flight landed in Mangalore International Airport about 8 years back. The consistent demand and efforts under the leadership of senior businessmen of Gulf countries and various organizations of UAE were overlooked by the government for several years and ultimately in 2006, the Indian government had to oblige the NRI organizations and their leadership. The passengers from Gulf to Mangalore were thrilled and happy about this achievement. But as days passed by, the service became disappointing for the passengers."
Elaborating on the above stated demands, the release listed the following points of concern:
"Passenger rates to Mangalore very high
Flight rates to Calicut, Cochin and Trivandrum are very low (UAED 580) whereas to Mangalore it is almost four times high at UAED 2000. Budget airlines operate flights to the Kerala airports. We demand budget airlines flights to Mangalore also.
Flight timing to the inconvenience of passengers
Excepting the day flights, the flights to Mangalore are operated at the convenient timings of staff and the passengers are made to face hardships at both airports, waiting for long hours and spending sleepless nights at the airport lounges.
Cancellation of the user’s fee at Mangalore International Airport
To recover the construction cost of the international airport at Mangalore, a user fee was imposed on the passengers. After several years of fee collection and recovery of more than the cost, it is high time that the user fee collection is stopped.
Distribution of compensation and construction of a memorial to the Bajpe air crash victims
Even after years, the compensation to the bereaved families has not been distributed fully. We demand proper compensation to the next of kin of the victims and a memorial to the victims immediately.
Increase in the luggage limit and proper handling of luggage
In the good old days, passengers were allowed to carry 35 kg of luggage with them. NRIs after years of toil on foreign soil, come to their hometown with dreams of happy reunion with family and relatives, wanting to carry some gifts. But today the limit has been reduced to 17 kg and even a slight increase in weight by 1 or 2 kg makes them offenders in the eyes of the officials issuing the boarding pass.
In 1967 every passenger could carry goods worth US $ 5000. Today a man can carry two sovereigns and a woman four sovereigns of gold only. Nowadays a woman’s mangalasutra itself weighs 4.5 sovereigns. If the ornament’s weight is slightly more he/she is treated as a smuggler.
Inefficient handling of luggage
When one books Air India Express ticket online, most of seats are blocked. When on entering the aircraft, one can see most of the seats vacant. It is said that this is done to compensate the weight of luggage and passengers, but the situation was not different even when the passengers were allowed to carry 30 kg luggage.
Reconstitution of the NRI welfare forum for Kannadigas
There was an NRI welfare forum constituted during the previous government in Karnataka. Now we demand the reconstitution of the forum and welfare measures for Kannadiga NRIs.
All NRIs are requested to participate in the dharna along with their kin and friends back home."