Decks cleared for new flight

Malindo Air’s flight to Kuala Lampur to take off on February 15

The confusion over days of operation of Malindo Air’s direct flight between Vizag and Kuala Lumpur has been cleared with the airport authorities confirming the original schedule (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) sought by the airline. The airline will begin operations from the city from February 15.

There were doubts over change in the days of operation and even threat of the airline pulling out as the authorities had expressed their inability to provide security on Tuesdays and Thursdays after 10 p.m. due to acute shortage of CISF personnel.

On the plea made by Airport Advisory Board member O. Naresh Kumar, Visakhapatnam MP Kambhampati Haribabu took up the matter with Union Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and the problem was sorted at the highest level.

“Temporary manpower has been sanctioned for the two additional days on which the airport would now have to be kept open after 10 p.m.,” Airport Director C. Pattabhi said confirming the developments on Monday.

The issue has once again brought to the fore the acute shortage of manpower at the Visakhapatnam International Airport. “At a time when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been giving a red carpet to entrepreneurs from Singapore, Malaysia and other countries to invest in India, incidents of this nature will reflect badly on the functioning of the government,” feels Mr. Naresh Kumar.

Air Costa has announced the launch of ‘Happy Sankranti’ offer for travellers planning their trips for the upcoming holiday season. Tickets can be booked with one way fares starting as low as Rs.1799 (all-inclusive).

The booking period starts from January 12 to 14 (both days inclusive) for travel period starting from February 1 to April 15, 2015. The fares are applicable for economy class travel. Bookings can be done onwww.aircosta.in, online travel portals and the airline’s reservation centre and ticketing offices.

The Railways had conceded the long-pending demand for a halt for Garibrath at Duvvada after several struggles. The halt, to be implemented on an experimental basis from January 14, was announced on December 31, 2014.

Ironically, several emails and SMSs had to be sent to the railway authorities to get the halt included in the e-ticket reservation facility, says Duvvada Railway Users’ Association secretary K. Eswar. The e-ticket reservation facility was extended only on January 12, just two days ahead of the inaugural halt.