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Subject: Guwahati - Bangkok From Today's Assam
Tribune
Bhutan, Nepal keen to start flight from NE From Our Staff Correspondent NEW DELHI, Oct 20 � Even as Air India is preparing to withdraw its lone international flight connecting North-east with Bangkok, several international airlines have shown keen interest to start flight operations from the Region. Divulging this before a group of visiting journalists from Delhi, State Industries Minister, Bhubaneswar Kalita claimed that the State Government was in touch with Thai Air, Bangladesh Biman, Nepal Airline and Druk Air of Bhutan. Of these Druk and Nepal Airline have shown interest to start operations from the Region�s lone international Airport. The move by Air India to withdraw the flights has evoked a sharp reaction in the Region, with the Chief Ministers of the eight States deciding to jointly petition the Prime Minister pressing for continuance of the international flight. Several of the States including Assam has already expressed their opposition to withdrawal of the service. Meanwhile, Airport Authority of India sources said that the passenger load from Guwahati in the Air India flight was not so poor as being made out by the Airline. On an average the Airline attract 40 to 50 percent passenger load, sources added. �We are equally mystified at the decision to withdraw the flight given that no airline in the world runs packed flights in such a short period,� he said. Tour operators in the Region are of the view that North-east should have been promoted in Thailand as tourist destination to attract inward traffic, while Air India did just the opposite by promoting Bangkok, which is already a known destination, in the North-east. The move to withdraw the flight has also evoked sharp reactions from the various trade bodies. |
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