Thanks to the initiative taken by MP K. Haribabu and Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Malindo Air will fly from Visakhapatnam to Kuala Lumpur with effect from February 15.
Malindo Air had sought approval for operation of Vizag – Kuala Lumpur flights with effect from February 15, and had already opened bookings for the same.
However, the non-availability of watch and ward personnel threatened to scuttle the flight schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays. AAI Advisory Board member Naresh Kumar took up the issue with Mr. Haribabu who followed it up with Mr. P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and officials of the airport.
Shortage of manpower
On December 31, Liaison Officer of Malindo Air Vikas Garg mailed the Airport Director seeking slots to start three weekly services (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) from Visakhapatnam with effect from February 15. The Airport Director expressed inability to keep the watch hours open beyond 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in view of the shortage of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) manpower.
Though the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials had sent a proposal for sanction of 250 CISF personnel, only 143 were deployed.
The airport officials suggested to Malindo Air officials to consider operating on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays as the watch hours were kept open beyond 10 p.m. on those three days in view of the operation of the existing Silk Air flight to Singapore.
“We are pushing for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays but logistics problems are coming in the way. Operation of the flight from February 15 is confirmed but still there is some confusion on the days of operation. It will, however, be sorted out in the next few days,” Airport Director C. Pattabhi told The Hindu on Saturday.
