Mangalore: Airbus A320 from Mumbai Lands at Bajpe Airport

The Hindu
Mangalore, Sep 21: The Bajpe (Mangalore) airport handled an Airbus 320 with passengers on board for the first time in 51 years, on Wednesday.
The Airbus 320 of Kingfisher Airlines from Mumbai arrived at 2.25 p.m. and departed for Mumbai at 3 p.m. The 134-seater aircraft is very spacious and has facilities such as music and television. While the economy class was full, a few business class seats were vacant, sources said.
The aircraft landed on the new runway that was the first complete concrete runway of an airport in the State. This runway was opened for aircraft operations recently.

Dubai: Maiden Direct Flight to Mangalore to Go Full

Daijiworld News Network - Dubai
Dubai, Sep 19: This is an apt example to the entire Mangalorean diaspora that that how curiously, yet patiently Mangalore-bound people have been long waiting for the direct flight.

On Friday, September 15 evening around 10.45 pm Daijiworld flashed the news about availability of on-line booking, and since then it took just less than 36 hours for the seats on the inaugural flight to be a total sell-out ! (Total 180 seats)

As this report is being filed, tickets of not only October 3, but also October 19 and 21 have been entirely booked.

"The response has been superb. People are simply waiting to see the first flight. Everywhere the people have been talking about the first flight," says an Air India Express official in Dubai while speaking to daijiworld.

"We never knew daijiworld to be such a powerful medium. It made our task easy. We are looking forward to servng Mangalore destination. Hope we will have a good beginning," he adds.

Currently on-line booking is opened until October 28. Booking for the winter session will be opened soon. There may be a change in the timing also.

It is very important for passengers who are flying Air India Express to note that all the flights will take off from Terminal 2, at Dubai International Airport.

Rajesh Sequeira, who took the lead in the direct flight mission has said, "Our responsibility does not end here. The operation should move smoothly and continuity is very important. However, our immediate goal is to see that all other Gulf countries too should be connected by direct flights or at least for the time being there should be convenient connecting flights. We will work in that direction once the Air India Express operation begins," he asserted.

Several travel agencies and related business houses are now lined up for encashing the opportunity of direct flight. One of city's noted travel house Caesar Travels has wasted no time to announcing free transport from Bajpe Airport to Udupi and Mangalore region for those who book the tickets through them. (Tel: 04-3599669 Irshad / Abbu)

There are others lined up with various offers. Even some travel houses are planning to offer holiday packages to Mangalore.

The current fare starts from Dhs 1208 including taxes (Return) which is quite affordable and it is expected to remain same for a longer period.

The inaugural flight is expected to take off at 2.10pm UAE time and expected to arrive at Mangalore airport at 7.10 pm IST

AI Express Opens Mangalore - Dubai Online Flight Booking

AI Express Opens Mangalore - Dubai Online Flight Booking
Daijiworld News Network - Dubai / Mangalore
Dubai, Sep 15: Finally, the news has come which would delight each and every Mangalorean living in the UAE that direct flying dream has is said to be drawing closer, as Air India Express opens its online booking for direct Dubai - Mangalore sector, a 210-minute non-stop journey.

The inaugural flight (Flight NO IX 802) is on October 3, 2006, departure time in Dubai is 1410 hrs and arrival at Bajpe at 19.10 hrs.

The return flight from Mangalore is at 2100hrs IST and arrival at Dubai is 2300hrs UAE time

Air India Express will fly THREE times a week Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Inaugural flight on Tuesday is an exception as several VIPs are expected to fly on this flight.

Though all the formalities have been completed, the Air India Express and Mangalore Airport authorities as well as schedule is approved by AAI in New Delhi, AI express specified a clause in its online booking "Schedules are subject to clearances from relevant Government Authorities. Please check and confirm with our Call Center at least 24 Hours before Departure"

Daijiworld has learnt that it is a standard clause for covering the last moment risk, as anything may happen until first flight takes off.

Readers who are following daijiworld.com closely may be aware that since year 2003 July a special initiative has been taken by Rajesh Sequeira who formed a Karnataka NRI forum, many had laughed at him saying "The work which could not take place over the last 33 (from 1970 to 2003 for international airport efforts) will never happen and this forum will be just around only for be the name's same sake.

When Rajesh took enormous efforts towards this goal, UAE's well entrepreneur B R Shetty and other few entrepreneurs Supported him. Mangalore airport director put his special efforts despite of his government position and commitment. Daijiworld has left no tone unturned in highlighting the news and updating the status time to time, since last one year more people became active in this direction and around the Gulf NRI organizations have come up. Sincere efforts by West Coast NRI forum in Daharan Dammam was to be mentioned specially in this juncture and they put tremendous pressure without seeking the name and publicity.

If flight flies as scheduled on Oct 3, it will be a historic day for Mangaloreans worldwide and those who fly on first flight will remember the day as most remembered day.

For online booking Click - http://www.airindiaexpress.in

More details in this regards will be updated as and when it comes

Mangalore: Dharna Staged at Bajpe Airport

The Hindu
Memorandum submitted to Union Civil Aviation Minister
Union Government urged to start international flight services
Facilities to handle international flights are ready

Mangalore, Sep 14: Members of the Indian Muslim Cultural Centre (a wing of the Indian Nation League), a UAE-based organisation, staged a dharna in front of the Bajpe airport here on Wednesday.
It urged the Union Government to upgrade the airport to international standards and start flights to international destinations at the earliest.
They submitted a memorandum to Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel through M.R. Vasudev, director, Bajpe airport, Airports Authority of India. The memorandum said that of the total passenger traffic handled at the Bajpe airport annually, approximately 30 per cent was bound for international destinations via Mumbai airport. In 2004-05 Mangalore airport handled 2,68,424 passengers, 18.58 per cent more than the previous year.
Customs and immigration counters, a runway and four parking stands are ready at the airport. But nobody knows the reason behind delaying the commencement of the international flights.
The memorandum said that it was the long cherished dream of people of North Malabar (in Kerala) and Dakshina Kannada to have direct flights to West Asian countries from Mangalore airport.
The people from these areas working in West Asia will be benefited if direct flights operated from Mangalore. It is suspected that the authorities fear that other zones may be marginalised if international flights start operation from here.
P.M.A. Salim, Kozhikode MLA, N. A. Suleman, secretary, Federation of International Air Transport Agents' Association, and others led the dharna.

Mangalore: Air India Express Awaits Approval of Flight Schedule

Raviprasad Kamila / The Hindu
Mangalore, Sep 13: Air India Express, the low cost airline of Air India, which is to start a service between Mangalore and Dubai from October 2, has sent a three-phase schedule (timings) of the proposed service to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
But the Director General of Civil Aviation is yet to approve the schedule, according to sources in Air India. The airline would operate its service between the two destinations thrice a week, on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
Schedule
According to the schedule, the first flight from Dubai will arrive here at 6 pm and depart to Dubai at 9 pm. These timings will be in force till October 28.
The flight will arrive at 6.15 pm and depart at 9 pm from October 30 to December 23. In the third phase, from December 25 till February 2007 the flight will arrive at 9.15 pm. and depart at 1 am. However, the confirmation of the timings will depend on the approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation.
Air India Express has already set up its check-in counter at the Bajpe (Mangalore) airport. This flight service is expected to benefit a number of non-resident Indians in West Asia having their roots in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.

Mangalore Airport: AI Express Counter in Place - Flight in the Air?

Daijiworld News Network - Dubai UAE / Mangalore Pictures: Praveen Tauro - Daijiworld.com Mangalore

The Mangalore international airport project will go down in history as one marked by the most number of hurdles like indecision, lack of initiative and political will, empty promises, boastful claims, lack of leadership, passing the buck, blame game and many others
In this sordid drama, only a very few individuals stand apart as having done something concrete, quietly and without fanfare
Come the inauguration day, there will be dozens of persons to take the credit, share the dais and hog publicity
A reader survey by daijiworld reflects frustration, anger but hope too
September 3: The hopes of NRI Mangaloreans for flying direct from Gulf countries keep getting shattered but never seem to go dead.
The breach of promises by various authorities and individuals has clearly hurt their sentiments, but the dawn of each day brings in a new hope "One day or other, we will fly direct. That's for sure, " a majority of people say in a determined and hopeful mood.
Last week Mangalore airport director Vasudeva announced that Air India Express has allotted a slot for Dubai-Mangalore direct flight in winter season. Though he has given the date as October 2, for many NRIs it is just another date, not because of him, but other factors.
"I have given the information based on a letter received from Air India Express; it may vary at any time. You cannot consider this as firm until they open the booking," he said while speaking to daijiworld correspondent at Bajpe airport on Friday.
But Mangaloreans in the UAE have all the reason to keep their hopes alive, as Gulf News daily has confirmed the news, based on a press release issued by Air India Express' top executive Sanjiv Talwar in Dubai
"The board of Air India has approved the October schedule for direct flight from Dubai to Mangalore and Amritsar," quoted Gulf News.
"It would be most likely from October 2, but we still need a clearance from Mangalore airport," Talwar was quoted as saying.
When daijiworld contacted Mangalore airport authority, they said "That is true; but there are no hurdles from Mangalore airport. It is just a matter of paper work"
Sanjiv Talwar also said: "At the moment Air India is planning to fly three times a week to Mangalore and Amritsir separately. Also Air India is waiting for the delivery of 10 Boeing 737-800s and once the delivery is completed, it may increase the frequency of flights to Mangalore and Amritsar."
Let us keep our fingers crossed then and wait for the news, as we are all desperate to see direct international flights landing in Mangalore.
When daijiworld correspondent visited the Bajpe airport on Friday, a lot of preparations were seen taking place to usher in the maiden international flight. Arrangements for a separate, extended arrival hall, though temporary, are under way. The construction work of a new, permanent arrival hall has already begun, according to Vasudeva, who is equally eager to see the direct International flight from any country. He is leaving no stone unturned to convert the hopes of NRIs into a reality.
"Air India Express counters are ready. The counters for Customs have just arrived. Security measures are being set up," he said.
During the past week, Daijiworld reporting team carried out an extensive survey among some regular readers, prominent leaders and other NRIs, as well as Mangaloreans back home.
Out of 65 persons contacted on a representative basis, some presented a few interesting questions. But more than 50% of NRIs still refuse to believe that the first flight is going to land in October 2006, solely in the wake of their experience with recent promises and deadlines not being met.
54% say:
"We are tired of hearing such promises. We do not blame anyone except our political leaders. If they had helped in these matters, we would have flown long back. A majority feels that since the NRIs do not have voting rights, the politicians are not bothered about the NRI problems and also they think that NRIs have a lot of money and therefore are capable of handling the problems on their own!
To impress the NRIs, the politicians visit the Gulf countries on holidays or 'official' trips, and simply give false promises and never had them fulfilled in any way.
About 80% of the interviewees blame Oscar Fernandes for this delay. "He has such huge influence in the government. He has excellent political rapport with Sonia Gandhi, but never has had a will to help the NRIs. It is very sad and most NRIs regard Oscar as kind of 'Villain no. 1' in not helping in any way."
About 90% of readers whom we contacted say, all the boastful claims notwithstanding, Veerappa Moily, Bangarappa, Siddaramaiah, and 'Son of the Soil' Deve Gowda as well as his son Kumaraswamy have done NOTHING for the betterment of Mangalore Airport.
Some of the businessmen say the work should have been executed 10 years ago. They are very cynical about the flight taking off this year at all.
According to some senior readers, the airport mission can be accomplished faster if only Oscar Ferandes wields his influence with Sonia Gandhi. The main person to do this job is Praful Patel, the union civil aviation minister. To convince the aviation minister, only Sonia Gandhi is the right person, they say.
However, 46% of the readers still hopeful, and they deem the news of new date announcement as a 'positive' development and we should fly by October 2006, they say with confidence.
"We don't need politicians to get a direct flight. Our dynamic airport director and the unity of overseas NRI organizations are enough to get a flight"
"The real movement was started since year 2003 when Rajesh Sequeira floated the Karnataka NRI Forum in Dubai. His initiative thereafter motivated several organizations in other countries. If at all we have reached this stage now, a few people / organizations should be given credit. They are airport director Vasudeva, NRI entrepreneurs B R Shetty, NRI Karnataka Forum UAE leader Rajesh Sequeira, NRI Forum based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Hassan Yusuf, Pascal Pinto and their group in Kuwait and other supporters."
A few readers angrily vented their frustration. "Stop the politicians from coming here to the Gulf. Don't invite them at all," commented an angry reader, being unable to hide his emotions.
A very enthusiastic reader from Saudi Arabia was more outspoken. "Come what may, we are hopeful and our dream will come true. If it does not happen, let all NRIs during the next holiday season - probably in December - get into the streets in Mangalore and protest and protest until someone listens to us. We will gather in the airport and show the NRIs' unity..We will win,' said he.
But another reader from Dubai says, "We are good when there is a free forum to write our comments in. But actually when it comes to the matter of protest or unity, we are nowhere. In reality, practically all support is on paper. Hardly a 100 people from all Gulf countries will come to support during their holidays. Because 'others' do not have the time for such things!"
Regarding the entire process of international flights to Mangalore, a prominent leader in Dubai, has a very interesting comment
"Now it is almost sure that the flight will take off...but you have to wait and see who will take the credit for this!..It is just like a bus which has a starting trouble and needs to be pushed by some people to get going with a jerk. No one will come to push the bus to get it started..but once with the help of 2-3 people it gets started, then everyone will run and climb the bus to travel!'
He couldn't have put it better.
Conclusion:
The above comments are all based on the reader feedback received as part of the survey conducted by daijiworld, and the opinions are purely of the individuals or groups concerned and they do not represent Daijiworld.
The Mangalore international airport project will go down in history as one marked by the most number of hurdles like indecision, lack of initiative and political will, empty promises, boastful claims, lack of leadership, passing the buck, blame game and many others.In this sordid drama, only a very few individuals stand apart as having done something concrete, quietly and without fanfare. Come the inauguration day, there will be dozens of persons to take the credit, share the dais and hog publicity.
By the way, we fully realize the eagerness and despair of the NRIs when we receive letters over letters, asking us, "When are you starting the flight?". When we have every sympathy for their frustration, we would like to point out that flying is not our cup of tea, only conveying news and information is. And, as usual, daijiworld will keep you informed about every development. We will wait for the official announcement. As a media we can relay the news, help form public opinion and exert pressure...but can't charter a flight to Mangalore !