Business, tourism sectors want Mysore air connectivity to stay

Stakeholders in the region are keen to ensure that air link to Mysore is not severed following the announcement that the lone commercial service to the city provided by SpiceJet may suspend its operations from September.

Members of Mysore Industries Association, Confederation of Indian Industry and the Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry will meet the Union Minister of State for Aviation G.M. Siddeswara in the city on Saturday in this connection.

They will seek government support for additional flights to Mysore so as to give a fillip to the region’s business and tourism prospects.

This is also necessary to shore up the region’s importance as an investment destination.

Meanwhile, A.H. Vishwanath, former MP, has written to SpiceJet authorities urging them not to discontinue flight operations to Mysore. Mr. Vishwanath has stated that poor occupancy should not deter the airline from operating as the State government has assured of 100 per cent occupancy if the flight was operated to Mumbai or Delhi in the early hours.

“I can assure you of all help from the State government,” Mr. Vishwanath said, adding that the surcharge concession on fuel is being reduced to 4 per cent from 27 per cent after Siddaramaiah took over as State Chief Minister.

Underlining Mysore’s tourism potential, Mr. Vishwanath said that the city received over 6 million tourists a year and the city was surrounded by national parks and other important tourist destinations.

Besides, IT major Infosys had established the world’s biggest leadership training institute in Mysore. “As per information available from Infosys, nearly 1,500 people from the company travel every week,” he added.

Mr. Vishwanath drew attention to the present flight timings and said that the departure was timed late in the afternoon and hence, was inconvenient to passengers. He opined that flight occupancy would be 100 per cent if it departed early in the day.

He said the State government was interested in expanding Mysore airport and was prepared to extend facilities for civil aviation in the interest of the industrialists and other stakeholders of the region.