Air India re-introduces Mangalore-Kuwait service

Much to the delight of non-resident Indians (NRIs) the Air India re-introduced its Mangalore-Kuwait flight service from Monday after a gap of about eight months.

The Air India had withdrawn the service mid-February citing revenue loss on the sector and lack of aircraft.

The re-introduced Air India Express, a low-cost carrier of the Air India, would operate thrice a week, i.e., on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, according to Nagesh Shetty, station manager, Air India, Mangalore.

The Boeing 737/800 aircraft had 186 seats for passengers. It would fly from Mangalore to Kuwait via Bahrain. While returning it would fly directly from Kuwait to Mangalore, Mr. Shetty said.

The flight would depart from Mangalore International Airport at 7.30 a.m. and arrive at 7.25 p.m. during the three days.

Of 166 passengers who had booked the ticket for the inaugural flight which took-off from Mangalore International Airport at 7.30 a.m. on Monday, 162 adults travelled. Of them 97 travelled to Bahrain and 65 passengers to Kuwait. In addition, the flight had four infants to Bahrain and an infant to Kuwait.

J. R. Lobo, MLA, Mangalore City South, was one among those who took the inaugural flight to Kuwait. Speaking to presspersons at the airport on the occasion he said that it was a pending demand of NRIs from Mangalore region and North Kerala region. Otherwise many would have to travel to Kuwait via Mumbai.

Mr. Lobo said that he was flying to Kuwait to appeal to the NRIs to “patronize” the aircraft service re-introduced to ensure that it sustained. He would appeal to different organisations in Kuwait to invest in Mangalore.

The MLA said that when he and R. Roshan Baig, Karnataka Minister for Infrastructure Development, Information and Haj, met Rohit Nandan, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India Ltd. sometime ago to urge the airlines to re-introduce the flight service Mr. Nandan had said that unless more number of NRIs used the service sustaining the service would be difficult. Hence NRIs should support the service.

Mr. Lobo thanked the Air India, the Union government and Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati and the Minister of State for Civil Aviation G. M. Siddeshwara for re-introducing the service.