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Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, expressed concern over reports suggesting large-scale cancellations of Air India Express services from Kerala's airports in the upcoming winter schedule, urging the airline not to treat the state as an "afterthought".
In a post shared on social media platform X on Monday, Tharoor said he had written to Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson, conveying his strong objection to what he described as the airline's withdrawal of flights from key international airports in the state. The Congress MP wrote, "I have written to Air India MD Campbell Wilson to express my deep concern over reports of large-scale cancellations of Air India Express services from Kerala's airports in the forthcoming winter schedule. According to widely-circulated media accounts, a significant number of flights are being withdrawn from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur between late October and March." The Congress leader highlighted the adverse impact that such a move would have on Kerala's sizable migrant worker population, students, and travellers bound for the Gulf region. "Kerala is one of the busiest aviation hubs in the country, with exceptionally high international passenger traffic, particularly to the Gulf region. Any curtailment of services at this stage will inevitably cause severe hardship to migrant workers, students, tourists and families, while also hampering trade and tourism," he added. Claiming withdrawl of Air India's business-class services for flights from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor warned the airlines of switching to its competitors. "Air India must stop treating Kerala as an afterthought: withdrawing business-class services on the longest single-sector flight in India (Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram) has already added insult to injury. If Air India continues its disregard for Kerala's interests, IndiGo and Akasa Air are waiting in the wings, and many of us will have no compunction about switching our allegiance to those who give us the attention we deserve," he wrote. Tharoor, who had previously lauded Air India, added, "I had publicly hailed Air India as my favourite airline. However, when facts change, opinions can change as well. I hope all concerned will pay due attention." Earlier, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, VD Satheesan, also raised similar concerns and wrote to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu demanding that Kerala receive its "rightful share" of flight services. Posting the letter on X, Satheesan wrote, "Deep concern over reports that Air India is curtailing Gulf services from Kerala. This will cause severe hardship to lakhs of expatriates who depend on affordable direct connectivity. Urgent intervention from Minister @RamMNK to protect Kerala's rightful share of flights." (ANI)
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