Domestic air service here is to get augmented with Alliance Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, deciding to launch service in the Chennai – Tiruchi – Chennai sector.
The new service will begin on August 30 with the airline having worked out the arrival and departure timings.
Alliance Air, which is already operating services to different destinations across the country, has decided to operate ATR 600 type aircraft in the Chennai – Tiruchi – Chennai sector. According to airline sources the airline will operate one service in the morning from Chennai to Tiruchi and back.
The flight will leave Chennai at 7.35 a.m. and arrive at Tiruchi at 8.35 a.m.
After a 30 minute halt at Tiruchi, the aircraft will depart at 9.05 a.m. and land Chennai in 10.20 a.m.
The sources expect a good patronage in the new service as the rates are expected to be competitive.
Connectivity
The morning Chennai flight will provide connectivity to passengers coming from other countries and headed to Tiruchi and neighbouring districts.
With this, the number of airlines operating in the Chennai – Tiruchi – Chennai sector will increase to two.
Private carrier Jet Airways is already operating daily services in the Chennai – Tiruchi – Chennai sector using ATR type aircrafts.
Air India Express which had been operating daily flights in the Chennai – Tiruchi – Chennai leg withdrew the service in mid February despite good patronage much to the disappointment of travellers who have been seeking more domestic connectivity to cover major cities from Tiruchi.
Chennai is the lone domestic destination at present that has direct air connectivity from Tiruchi.
The new service from Alliance Air comes at a time when there have been persistent demands from the travel industry circles for operating services to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Early last month, a high-level delegation from IndiGo airline met the Tiruchi airport authorities and expressed interest in operating services in the Tiruchi – Chennai and Tiruchi – Bengaluru sectors.
