Deccan starts flight to Tootukudi

Air Deccan service beginsPublished Date: 4/3/2006 - (NIE)ENSThoothukudi, April 1: The much awaited flight service between Thoothukudi and Chennai was launched by Air Deccan in a formal function at the Thoothukudi airport here on Saturday.The airport that was inaugurated in 1992 had been almost deserted for the last 10 years except for the occasional chartered flight. After the inauguration, Vayudoot was the first to operate to Chennai via Pondicherry for 14 months. And long after Vayudoot cancelled its service, NEPC, a private airline, started service between Chennai and the port town through Cochin in Feb 1996, with an aim of establishing a port-to-port air connectivity. However, since NEPC circumnavigated Cochin to reach Chennai, the flight duration was four-and-a-half hours and that became the first deterrent to the service. Besides, lack of professionalism, inadequate financial back-up and lack of passenger patronage led to NEPC withdraw its service in the sector. Since then for about 10 years, flight connectivity to Thoothukudi remained a mirage. So, when Air Deccan, one of the first low-cost airlines, proposed to provide connectivity between Thoothukudi and Chennai, industrialists, businessmen and people in politics, particularly R Dhanushkodi Adithan, Tirunelveli MP, took initiatives to bring the proposal into reality.The collective initiative bore fruit and air service from Thoothukudi airport was resumed on Saturday. Speaking at the launch function, Krishnaswamy, chief- Corporate Planning, Air Deccan, said that by launching service in Thoothukudi, one of the not-so-potential destinations, Air Deccan had gone one step further in its vision of empowering every Indian to fly. He said Air Deccan had been looking forward to connecting similar towns and cities in the country at a low cost. On board the flight, which landed with 34 passengers at the airport at about 11.15 am, the service provided was said to be satisfactory. P K Venkatesan of Mathanki Construction Company, felt the quality at a low cost was satisfactory. Sundari, a first-time flight user, too expressed happiness with the service. However, Sethu, a 30-year-old man employed in Saudi, was not fully contended with the quality of service. He suggested more fans in the passengers lounge and transport facility to reach Thoothukudi bus stand and railway station, which are 16km away from the airport. After the launch function, the same flight with 42 passengers took off from Thoothukudi directly to Chennai about 12.15 pm with Tirunelveli MP Dhanushkodi Adithan flagging off the service.