Pvt airlines cancel Kolkata flights tomorrow

Kolkata, Dec 13 (UNI) All the private airlines have cancelled their flights to and from Kolkata tomorrow in view of CITU sponsored 24-hour nation-wide strike to protest the UPA government's industrial policy.

Jet Airways, Air Sahara, SpiceJet, Kingfisher, Indigo and Air Deccan have conveyed their decision regarding withdrawal of services to Kolkata tomorrow to Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Tuesday.

The public sector airline, Indian, however, did not announce any such cancellation of flights to the city till now.

''We know from our past experience that the strikers will not allow us to function. There is no point keeping passengers on tenterhooks when the state lends its support,'' sources in a private carrier said.

Though Indian has not made any official announcement, airport sources said loads of most afternoon and evening flights were too low to operate. ''There has been mass cancelletaions of tickets except those in the wee hours,'' sources said.

Representatives of international carriers operating to Kolkata have also sent an advisory to cancel flights scheduled on Thursday.

AAI officials said last year the CITU supporters had set a blockade in front of Airport Ashok hotel, switched of public address system and jammed conveyer belts. However, the only wing that would function tomorrow would be Air Traffic Control, which has to mandatorily provide navigation services to aircraft overflying the Kolkata airtraffic region.

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