The Hindu

Mangalore, Oct 7: Bajpe airport of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is all set to handle a new daily domestic flight service with Air Deccan proposing to operate between Chennai and Mangalore. The airport authorities have permitted the airlines to start the service from Saturday, unless it encountered any last-minute hurdle.

One more domestic daily flight between Kochi and Mumbai via Mangalore by another operator is also on the cards, later this month.

Schedule

As per the tentative schedule, the Air Deccan flight will depart from Chennai at 4.30 p.m. and arrive here at 6.30 p.m. It will leave from here to Chennai at 6.45 p.m. and reach there at 8.45 p.m., M.R. Vasudeva, director of the airport, told The Hindu.

"The Air Deccan staff have informed us that they would like to start Chennai-Mangalore service from Saturday. We have given the green signal from our side," he said. But he cautioned that last-minute hurdles, if any, might delay the launch.

Kingfisher Airlines had introduced a daily flight between Chennai and Mangalore but withdrew it about four months ago.
One more flight

He said Kingfisher Airlines had proposed to operate a daily flight service between Kochi and Mumbai via Mangalore later this month. With this, the number of daily domestic flight service from the airport would become 13.

At present, the airport handles five flights (ten movements) to Mumbai; four (eight movements) to Bangalore, and one each to Goa and Kozikhode (four movements) a day. Of them, the flight service between Kozhikode and Mangalore and Mangalore and Goa started last month.

Mr. Vasudeva said: "The airport handles 20 movements, landing and take off, of overseas flights to West Asia, a week.

When the winter schedule of Air India Express comes into force from October 25, the number will increase. The airport will be handling 216 movements, including domestic and international services, a week.

In November, the frequency of flight services to West Asia is likely to go up further".