AI express stops maiden international flight

Dubai flight results in huge loss to travel agents

BILAL HUSSAIN

A Valley based travel organization, Travel Agents' Association of Kashmir (TAAK), on Sunday claimed that the travel agents here have suffered huge losses due to discontinuation of the Srinagar-Dubai air services.
The President TAAK, Rauf Tramboo, told Kashmir Times that it is almost forth month that the Air India express has stopped their service to Dubai. “We were expecting it to be a temporary nature. However, the AI express seems to in no mood to restore the services.”
He reiterated his associations demand for restoration of maiden Srinagar-Dubai flight and said, “They snatched the much hyped services without any notices.”
According to TAAK the Srinagar-Dubai air services would have catered the Middle East sector, and it could have proved a boom for tourism as there is no advisory. “There are many big corporate clients that have shown interest in visiting to the valley,” Rauf added.
The discontinuation of air services has brought discredit not only to the TAAK members but to their counter parts in the Dubai as well. “They have already published the brochures for the Srinagar-Dubai services and have circulated it amongst their clientele,” he laments.
Over here, the TAAK members too had started worked on the project, Srinagar-Dubai services, to sell Kashmir and Ladakh tour packages. “We are receiving lots of queries on the services. We are in a fix, what to tell them. At times it is an embracement for us,” he says.
On the other side, the Air India express had said that they are suffering huge loss in continuation of the services. However, the TAAK members don’t seem to subscribe to the argument. “Every business has a gestation period so is true about Srinagar-Dubai air services. They might incur some losses at this time but it is going to be the most profitable venture for the airlines,” he claims.
Another tour operator said that AI express should have intimated the tour operator about the stopping of the service. “They had assured us to restore it soon but have not done so,” he added.
Earlier president, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nazir A. Dar had met V.P.Agrawal, Chairman, Airports Authority of India recently at Delhi. President discussed about the discontinuing of the flight from Srinagar -Dubai to which the Chairman has said, “On our part there is no difficulty in continuing the flight and the issue be taken up with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.”
TAAK members said that they were expecting by now flights to Singapore and Malaysia.

International flights delight Kashmir Inc

BILAL HUSSIAN

Srinagar: The operation of international flight from Srinagar airport on Saturday, which was inaugurated by chairperson India's ruling congress party, Sonia Gandhi, was hailed by tour operators and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

 President KCCI, Dr Mubeen Shah said the operation of international flights from here would give boost to the economy of the state, besides connecting people of the Valley to the outside world.

 Shah said the KCCI had since long been demanding the operation of international flights from here, and "this has today come true."

 Shah said the economy of the state would get a boost by getting tourists from Middle-East, Europe, America particularly because of the fact that Dubai is one of the top five airports in the world, which is very well connected and is a hub in that region.

 The KCCI has urged the minister for tourism as well central ministries to immediately start flight to and from other important hubs, which cover south-east-Asia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia/Singapore as these countries do not have any advisories and presently "we are getting foreign tourists from these areas," he added.

 He said that the international flights would increase state's exports particularly handmade carpets, which are of high value and are sent exclusively by air to outside countries. 

 "Our nascent industry of floriculture will get boost by direct exports of fresh flowers to one of the big market like Dubai where there is a Dubai Flower Centre with redistribution of all the fresh flowers to Europe, Central Asian Countries including Russia," he added.

 International Airport would give boost to the exports of perishable fresh fruits like cherries, strawberries and other produce as well. "In future the possibility of direct freighters for apple can be also explored once necessary infrastructure is created at the airport," he added.