Mangalore: More Flights from City to UAE Announced

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Mangalore, Aug 12: Briefing media persons at the Bajpe airport, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) airport director M R Vasudeva stated on Saturday, August 11 that Air India Express will introduce as many as four more international flight services between UAE and Mangalore by October 25.
Vasudeva informed that with this additional service, the number of international flights per week between Mangalore and the Gulf countries would increase to 14. There would be a total of 28 international flight movements at the Bajpe airport per week from October 25 from the present 20 flight movement, he added.
He said the contract for the work on the new terminal building at the airport has been awarded and will be completed in the next 18 months period. The required land for the new terminal building has already been acquired by the state government and handed over to the AAI, he added.
Giving further information, he stated that the Bajpe airport had earned a profit of Rs 83 lac during 2006-07. Their target was to earn a profit of Rs six crore during 2007-08. Around 4.58 lakh passengers have travelled during 2006-07.
Answering a query, he agreed that there was great demand for cargo flight service, but the airport had no immediate plans to start the same due to some technical reason, he said. He further stated that AAI has sent a proposal to the railway ministry for setting up a railway station near the new terminal building to facilitate the air passengers to and from Mangalore city.