Air India’s (AI) action of frequently cancelling its international flights from Kerala has evoked strong protests in the State, cutting across political affiliations.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, in a statement here on Saturday, protested against the frequent cancellation of Air India flights from the State. The steep hike in air fares to the Gulf along with the cancellation of flights had doubled the miseries faced by Gulf-bound passengers.
He wanted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene urgently and make alternative arrangements. He said Kerala had raised these issues several times. He had once again brought the matter to the Prime Minister’s notice in the memorandum submitted when Dr. Singh was in Kochi for the Emerging Kerala event, he said.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala shot off a letter to Dr. Singh on Saturday protesting against the frequent cancellations of international flights, terming it as an injustice to Keralites working in the Gulf. He said between September 17 and October 12, Air India had announced cancellation of 168 services from Kerala.
Apart from the hike in air fares, the cancellation of flights without prior notice was causing hardship to passengers, who came to know about the cancellation only after reaching the airport.
Mr. Chennithala alleged that Air India was singling out Kerala for this kind of treatment as could be seen from its approach to flights from the other States. He wanted the Prime Minister to urgently intervene and ensure smooth flights from the State. Minister for Non-Keralites Affairs K.C. Joseph also registered his protest against the cancellation of flights by Air India. He wanted Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh and the Air India Managing Director to take immediate action to prevent the cancellation of flights.
The CPI State council, which was in session here for the last two days, passed a resolution protesting against the frequent cancellation of flights by Air India and the steep hike in air fares to the Gulf. The Revolutionary Youth Front, the Nationalist Congress Party, and several other organisations have protested against Air India’s action.
