MPs urge Air India to operate flights to more destinations from Tiruchi-OxBig News Network

With the clamour for enhancing air connectivity from Tiruchi growing, Members of Parliament representing Tiruchi and Perambalur Lok Sabha constituencies have requested Air India to introduce services to more domestic and international destinations from the city.

Last week, Durai Vaiko, Tiruchi MP, and K.N. Arun Nehru, Perambalur MP, met senior officials of the Air India to take up the issue.

Mr. Durai Vaiko said he had met top officials of the airline and sought direct flights to key domestic and international destinations from Tiruchi. In a representation addressed to Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Manager, Air India, Mr. Durai Vaiko pointed out that Tiruchi was a significant hub for religious tourism, business, and international migrant workforce travel.

Highlighting the other advantages of the city he called upon Air India to explore operating on potential but untapped routes by the airline such as Tiruchi-Mumbai, Tiruchi-Delhi, Tiruchi-Hyderabad, Tiruchi-Varanasi, Tiruchi-Bengaluru, Tiruchi-Cochin and Tiruchi-Goa. He suggested operating services to Colombo, Riyadh, Bahrain, Jeddah, Male, and Kula Lumpur and increase frequency of flights to Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Doha from Tiruchi.

Mr. Durai Vaiko said that the airline officials had told him that they were awaiting clearances for introducing services to Bahrain from Tiruchi and it would probably be included in the summer schedule of the airline.

“The officials also told me that they planned to introduce a Hindon (Delhi)-Chennai-Tiruchi service from March 23. However, I pressed for the operation of services to and from the Indira Gandhi International Airport and the officials informed me that they were waiting for a slot. I had raised this demand with the Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu,” Mr. Durai Vaiko said.

Meanwhile, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr. Arun Nehru said he had a “fruitful discussion” with Shashi Chetia, vice-president and Head of Network Planning & Alliances at Air India, on enhancing Tiruchi’s connectivity. “Plans include new routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode, and international destinations such as Singapore and key West Asian markets. Exciting times ahead!,” he said in the post.