Direct flights in the Goa-UAE route stopped by Indian Airlines

The Indian Airlines (also called Indian) merged with Air India last year, and operated twice weekly flights to Goa until 30th of March. During last December, Air India stopped its once-a-week Kuwait-Dubai-Goa flight. With no direct flights to their state, the Goans in the UAE were annoyed with the decision, and felt that they were given a raw deal by their national airlines.

About more than 50,000 Goans living in the UAE, under the present circumstances are left with no option, but to fly via Mumbai to Goa.

According to a senior airline official, a recommendation for restoration of direct flights has already been sent to their Mumbai headquarters.

The Country Manager of Indian, Anand Kumar Pandey, said “We are more than interested in resuming the direct flights, and recommendation for the same has already been submitted.”

The airline hopes to stabilize direct flights thrice a week. The Manager revealed that those who have already booked flights to Goa with the airline will be carried for the same fare and on the same ticket, to Goa via Mumbai.

Highlighting the inconvenience that they have been forced too, the Goans said they will now have to spend a night in Mumbai, and wait for their next domestic flight the next morning. This is in addition to the time for travel from Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Sahar to the Domestic Airport in Santa Cruz.

The aggrieved Goans have expressed their discontent regarding the stoppage of flights, and has requested for restoration of direct flights.

Posted on 2/4/2008

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