End AI, Indian monopoly, allow more foreign carriers: JD(S)
The Civil Aviation Ministry should allow more private airlines to operate to foreign destinations from the Karipur international airport here to end the 'monopoly' of Air India and Indian.
By PTI |
KOZHIKODE: The Civil Aviation Ministry should allow more private airlines to operate to foreign destinations from the Karipur international airport here to end the 'monopoly' of Air India and Indian, MP and Janata Dal(S) Kerala unit President, M P Veerendrakumar said on Saturday.
"A severe injustice continues to be perpetrated on the hapless people of North Kerala. It is only just and fair that their demand for a larger bouquet of private services to foreign destinations be met," he said in a letter to Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel.
Stating that the 'monopoly' enjoyed by Air India and Indian had resulted in tardy services, the JD(S) leader said the recent permission to private operators to fly from Coimbatore to destinations abroad "has compounded the unrest".
While Coimbatore attracted only 1,033 international passengers in March 2007, Calicut had 78,343 passengers during the period. "It is even more shocking that though Calicut attracts more passengers than even Calcutta and Ahmedabad, no private airline is allowed to operate to foreign destinations from Karipur," Veerendrakumar said.
He also pointed out that the services of Sri Lankan Airlines -- the only foreign airline to operate from here to Colombo -- had been increased to two flights a day and were being operated with almost 100 per cent capacity.
"Offloading passengers with confirmed reservations, irregular schedules and such other incidents make for staple media coverage. This would have been hilarious, were it not for the fact that labourers and other non-skilled workers have lost their jobs due to such gross indifference," the MP added.
"A severe injustice continues to be perpetrated on the hapless people of North Kerala. It is only just and fair that their demand for a larger bouquet of private services to foreign destinations be met," he said in a letter to Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel.
Stating that the 'monopoly' enjoyed by Air India and Indian had resulted in tardy services, the JD(S) leader said the recent permission to private operators to fly from Coimbatore to destinations abroad "has compounded the unrest".
While Coimbatore attracted only 1,033 international passengers in March 2007, Calicut had 78,343 passengers during the period. "It is even more shocking that though Calicut attracts more passengers than even Calcutta and Ahmedabad, no private airline is allowed to operate to foreign destinations from Karipur," Veerendrakumar said.
He also pointed out that the services of Sri Lankan Airlines -- the only foreign airline to operate from here to Colombo -- had been increased to two flights a day and were being operated with almost 100 per cent capacity.
"Offloading passengers with confirmed reservations, irregular schedules and such other incidents make for staple media coverage. This would have been hilarious, were it not for the fact that labourers and other non-skilled workers have lost their jobs due to such gross indifference," the MP added.
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