AI Express schedule change angers Mangalore flyers

 

Mangalore, 06 Sep 2013: A faulty decision by the government to change the flight schedule of Air India Express faces the wrath of passengers, which would have an adverse affect on the business of the public sector airways company.

 

From October 28, Mangalore-Dubai Air India Express flight IX 383 will leave Mangalore at 8.55am and reach Dubai at 11.20am (Current timing departure at 2.00pm from Mangalore and arrival at Dubai is 4.10pm).

 

 

The IX 813 will leave Mangalore at 11.15pm and reach Dubai at 1.40am (Current-departure from Mangalore at 8.00pm and arrival at Dubai- 10.15pm).

 

IX 814 Dubai-Mangalore leave from Dubai- 2.20am and arrival at Mangalore is 7.25am (Current timings- 4.25am departure and arrival at Mangalore is 9.55am.). This move would not only cause inconvenience to thousands of passengers from Karnataka and parts of Kerala, but also would affect the business of public sector airways.

 

Currently, the flight 9W532 of Jet Airways departs from Mangalore at 11.05pm and arrives Dubai 1.20am. According to Jet Airways website, their schedule will be changed and the flight 9W532 will depart from Mangalore at 8pm and reach Dubai at 10.25pm, which is a convenient timing for passengers.

 

Karunakaran P, from Pallikkara in Kasaragod district told TOI that the new schedule of Air India Express flight to Dubai will cause inconvenience to commuters from distant places. "The present Dubai flight schedule of Air India- departure from Mangalore at 2pm and 8pm - is convenient for passengers. We will have to start in the wee hours to catch the morning flight. It will also cause inconvenience if the departure timings of night flight is changed to 11.15," he said adding that the Air India authorities should consider reviewing the decision.

 

Mohammed Shabeer, a businessman, said that people would chose only their convenient timings and this may affect the business of public sector airways.

 

Air India station manager Sudheer Bhat said that the airways keep changing the schedule every six months. "We change the schedule during summer from March and in winter from October," he added.