After public outcry, Air India will begin operation of its suspended flight service from the Calicut international airport to Delhi on Friday.
Airport Director K. Srinivasa Rao said here on Wednesday that the flight would operate three days a week, on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, till August 23. This is a temporary measure till Air India changes the schedule.
At present, Air India is operating its flight only up to the Kannur airport after domestic air services resumed in the country on May 25.
Now the flight will depart at 2 p.m. from Delhi and reach Kannur at 6.05 p.m. It will arrive in Kozhikode at 6.35 p.m. and will depart for Delhi at 8 p.m. to touch down the national capital at 11 p.m, Mr. Rao, who had taken up the issue with Air India authorities, said.
Travel plans hit
The cancellation of the Delhi-Kozhikode flight had hit air passengers travelling to Kozhikode and Malappuram districts for the last two months. Many had to travel by road from Mattannur municipality, 28 km from Kannur, the location of the airport to reach other destinations in north Kerala.
Previously Air India carried out its services successfully on round-robin basis from the Calicut airport. Then passengers were able to fly non-stop from Delhi to Kozhikode on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and from Kozhikode to Delhi on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. However on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, the flights arrived at Kozhikode via Kannur.
Several organisations such as the Malabar Development Forum and the Malabar Development Council had taken up the issue with Air India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. They also urged the Ministry to resume international flights to the Gulf Cooperation Council nations.