Air Deccan takes off to Tuticorin, restores air links

Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, Apr 1 (UNI) Low cost airliner Air Deccan today restored air links between here and Chennai after a gap of 15 years by launching its operations here.

Flagging off the new air service between here and Chennai, Mr R Dhanushkodi Adityan, MP, said the last flight services between the two cities were operated in 1991 after which they were suspended as they were not economically viable.

Taking into consideration of industrial growth of the region, he took up the matter with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry which permitted Air Deccan to operate daily flight services.

Mr Adityan said he will persuade the Ministry for upgrading the Tuticorin airport into an international airport in the coming years.

In his address, Mr Krishnasamy, Chief-Corporate Planning, Air Deccan said the company was getting closer to its vision of empowering every indian to fly.

Places like Tuticorin were important business and tourist destination and they looked forward to connecting similar towns and cities in the future at low costs. To start with a 42-seater ATR 42-500 has been deployed on the sector.

The company had already signed for 30 new ATR aircraft which will soon replace the ATR-42-500 seater aircraft.

Air Deccan today reached its 55th flying destination, operating 230 flights a day since its inception in 2003. Till date, it had flown over 3.7 million passengers.

It will approach the Civil Aviation Ministry for grant of permission as well to make ready the unused Uchipuli Airport in Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu to operate flight services to Uchipuli from various destinations, especially in the northern parts of the country, to enable devotees visit the pilgrim centre of Rameswaram.

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