Air India Express, a major air operator from the city, has decided to withdraw its twice-a-week service on the Chennai-Tiruchi-Abu Dhabi/Abu Dhabi-Tiruchi-Chennai sector under its winter schedule, effective October 28, much to the discontent of the travel industry here.
The move, coming after repeated curtailment of various services in December last year and in February this year, has come as a shock to the travel industry here. According to sources, the service to Abu Dhabi currently operated on Thursdays and Saturdays would stand withdrawn under the winter schedule that would be in effect till March end next year. However, the thrice-a-week Tiruchi-Dubai-Tiruchi service would be made a daily service under the winter schedule.
The withdrawal of the Abu Dhabi service would also entail cancellation of a couple of flights a week on Chennai-Tiruchi/Tiruchi-Chennai sector too as poer a report in the Hindu.
Travel industry representatives are flabbergasted by the continuing action of Air India Express to withdraw services on profitable routes from Tiruchi such as the Abu Dhabi service.
The service was one of the earliest services being operated by the national carrier from Tiruchi and had been commanding a good load factor of about 80 per cent.
“We are pained by Air India’s decisions to withdraw services from Tiruchi. The Abu Dhabi service was very popular among semi-skilled migrant workers from the southern districts, especially those working in oil companies in Abu Dhabi. The withdrawal of the service would force them to depend on services from Chennai,” said M.S. Paramasivam, chairman, Travel Agents Association of India, South Tamil Nadu Chapter.
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