JEDDAH, 17 May — Surprises awaited passengers of Air-India (A-I) as they arrived to check-in for their flight to Hyderabad at the north terminal of King Abdul Aziz International Airport yesterday. The section of A-I counters was decorated with balloons and festoons. As they walked in, they were welcomed by the Air-India staff led by Western Province Manager S. M. Mazharullah at the entrance and presented with rose buds.
A formal inauguration ceremony took place with Consul General Syed Akbaruddin cutting the ribbon in the presence of North Terminal Manager Iijaz Hammad, Attar Travel Managing Director Ghassan O. Attar and other invitees.
Attar, whose company is associated with the airline for 27 years, said the city had perhaps the largest overseas presence of Hyderabadis anywhere in the world. “The starting of a nonstop flight to the Andhra Pradesh state capital every Wednesday fulfills the long felt need of the community. The flight should be of great help in attracting Arab tourists who would want to visit different scenic places in India other than Hyderabad,” he said.
The consul general said the growing importance of Hyderabad as a commercial center and also for IT and biotechnology necessitated a nonstop flight to that city. This would not only serve the interests of businessmen but also families, especially women and children traveling alone in particular. “The step is in the right direction as it is the dream of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to make the city a hub for international air traffic,” he said.
The airline now had weekly seven flights from Jeddah with the eighth one — a nonstop flight to Calicut — to be added on May 21, Mazharullah said, adding that the construction of an international airport in Hyderabad was in progress. The airline would in the future consider the introduction of a second weekly flight or an aircraft with bigger capacity after reviewing the traffic pattern on its new weekly flight.
Ateequr Rahman of Yanbu was the first among the 144 passengers to check in for the A-I 864 Hyderabad flight which left at 1.15 p.m. with a scheduled nearly six-hour run. “I now prefer to take this flight for my vacation as it is nonstop,” Rahman remarked.
The flight originated at Hyderabad in the morning with the chief minister presiding over a ceremonial departure at the airport. Among those arriving was Padma Akbaruddin, wife of the consul general. F. M. Zakaria of Abdullah Hashim Co., who also arrived by the same flight, said: “I am delighted. The flight departure time from Hyderabad is most convenient.”
The incoming flight, operated by Airbus A310 with 201 passenger capacity, was piloted by Capt. J.G. Palekar and First Officer S. Majumdar.
A draw held on board the incoming flight resulted in a return ticket for Qutsia Rafae. “Her ticket money will be refunded by us as she has won a prize,” Mazharullah said, adding that the winner on board the outgoing flight was Amina Muhammad.
Tears rolled down Amina’s eyes as she was told of her prize. “I could not afford a return ticket so I purchased only one way. I can now return after seeing my sick mother,” she remarked.
