Trichy MP Durai Vaiko, Perambalur MP KN Arun Nehru, Rajya Sabha MP MM Abdullah, Karur MP S. Jyothimani with demands including starting direct flight services from Trichy airport to Gulf countries. Thanjavur MP Murasoli jointly went and met the Union Minister of Aviation Rammohan Naidu in person and insisted.
Durai Vaiko MP issued a statement in this regard: I went along with Perambalur Member of Parliament KN Arun Nehru, Rajya Sabha MP MM Abdullah, Karur MP S Jyothimani, Thanjavur MP Murasoli and met them in person. We made various requests regarding Trichy airport services.
In our petition, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the new building of Trichy International Airport before the parliamentary elections. The new building was commissioned two weeks ago. The new building was opened to accommodate additional passengers.
The number of passengers will only increase if additional flight services are provided. However, Trichy International Airport does not have enough runway to handle the large number of flights. Therefore, we requested to provide necessary funds to complete the airstrip expansion works on wartime basis.
Secondly, according to the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), the country’s airlines are not allowed to operate flights from Trichy International Airport to Gulf countries. Only Air India flight from Trichy is operated to Gulf countries including Dubai. On a weekly service basis only 3760 seats are filled in this aircraft per week. Due to this, the travel fare is many times higher. Therefore, those going to Gulf countries should consider Bangalore, Chennai, using air service from cities including Cochin. As a result, the revenue that should have come to Trichy airport goes to airports like Bangalore and Cochin.
Therefore, permission to operate additional flights from Trichy to Gulf countries should be given on the basis of bilateral air service agreement. We requested that this will benefit the public and increase the revenue of Trichy Airport.
Similarly, there is no direct flight from Trichy to Delhi. Therefore, we also requested to operate flights from Delhi to Trichy and from Trichy to Cochin. If these three demands are fulfilled, it will be of great benefit not only to the people of Trichy district but also to the people of the delta districts including Pudukottai, Tanjore, Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur.
Late Kinjarabu Erran Naidu, father of Union Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, was a close friend of Vaiko. Minister Rammohan Naidu has inquired about Vaiko’s health with great concern and said that he will meet him in person when he comes to Delhi. Durai Vaiko said that he will definitely fulfill our demands regarding Trichy airport services.
