JEDDAH, 2 April 2008 — Indian expatriates from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have expressed their disappointment and anger over their national carrier’s decision to discontinue nonstop flights from Jeddah to Lucknow.
Some of the regular travelers who are disappointed by Air India’s decision, which came into force on Monday, said it would affect old and infirm travelers in particular.
“The nonstop journey from here to Lucknow was hassle-free so far. It saved a lot of time and inconvenience. Residents of Makkah in particular and women and children traveling alone to Lucknow will now find it difficult to take connecting flights from Delhi,” Abu Tariq, a longtime resident of Jeddah who hails from Lucknow, said.
Ahmed Nadeem, another regular Lucknow-bound traveler, said: “This is an unfortunate decision. We don’t understand why we are being penalized when the route was paying well for Air India. It seems the airline does not care for our needs. Imagine our plight of changing over to the domestic terminal after landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Also, there are no convenient connections in Delhi for Lucknow-bound passengers, which means we will have to spend some hours to catch a connecting flight.”
Asked whether Air India decided to discontinue Lucknow flights because Saudi Arabian Airlines had plans to operate nonstop flights to the UP state capital, K.M. Kurian, Western Province Manager of Air India, said: “Our decisions don’t depend on what other airlines do. Air India’s stoppage of nonstop flights to Lucknow is a management decision and it is due to our constraints like shortage of aircraft. And because of our fleet position, we are concentrating more on point-to-point operations.”
“Saudia has no proposal to fly nonstop to Lucknow at present,” a Saudia spokesman said.
Asked whether it was done due to factors like an insufficient passenger load, Kurian said: “Seventy passengers on an average traveled direct to Lucknow and the rest on their onward journey to Delhi. Passengers to the Indian capital on this flight ranged from 60 to 80, he added. “Our experience shows that Delhi is a bigger point for operations than Lucknow,” he said.
Referring to the arrangements that have been made for passengers heading for Lucknow, he said: “In the present circumstances they have to take Indian Airlines flights from Delhi. However, arrangements are likely to be worked out in due course to provide them an immediate connection in Delhi so that they go through the Customs procedure in Lucknow,” he added.
According to the new summer timetable, Air India will operate nonstop flights from Jeddah to Delhi thrice a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).
