Air-India reduces fares for carrying accident victims

Dubai, June 30: In a generous gesture to Indian expatriates in Gulf countries, Air-India is to reduce fares by 30 to 40 per cent for carrying accident victims home.

In cases where stretcher is required, the airlines will have to block six seats, the patient will be charged only for three seats at the existing market fare, which means a cost saving of as much as 40 per cent.

Air India manager for Bahrain and Jordan M N Naik said on an average, one or two patients are being carried as stretcher cases from Bahrain every two months.

''Many of them are victims of accidents or strokes,'' he told Gulf Daily News.

He said all Air-India flights are fully booked until July 15 and return flights are also full from August 16 to September 10.

Air-India has just introduced attractive packages to South East Asia, the Far East, the United States and Canada, Naik said.

UNI