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Udupi, Nov 7: MP Manorama Madhwaraj has demanded the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India start early morning and late evening flight services between Bangalore and Mangalore.

Listing out the lapses in the Air India service, she said; “it is very inconvenient for a traveller, who has to travel by Air India flight from Delhi-Mumbai-Mangalore sector. Practically, no attention is given to expand the entry of Air India into the various sectors based on trafic density and passenger friendly principle.”

Earlier, there was a direct Air India flight from Delhi to Mangalore with a stop over in Mumbai. It was very convenient for the passengers who were to travel upto Mangalore. Unfortunately, that flight had been discontinued for the reasons best known to the Aviation Ministry. But certainly not in public interest and not for the growth of Aviation sector, she charged.

Recently, the travellers, who were travelling by Air India from Delhi to Mangalore had a bad experience, she said. After reaching Mumbai, they had to wait for nearly four hours for taking flight to Mangalore. There was precious little what the officers of Air India could do to help the people, she added.

“It has been noted during my travel that flight services are held up due to crew reporting, which I am told due to shortage of pilots. This puts to great inconvenience to the travellers going to and coming from foreign countries,” she added. She urged the authority to restore the earlier arrangements of travelling from Delhi to Mangalore directly.