Airlines gear up for ‘amnesty rush’

Dubai: After the UAE government’s announcement of three-month amnesty for illegal residents, airlines are gearing up to meet the possible rush on outbound flights from Dubai.
Sources in the aviation industry, however, said they would take time to assess the situation before taking any decision.
During the last general amnesty in UAE from January 1 to June 30, 2003, nearly 100,000 illegal residents had benefited.
This year, the amnesty is coinciding with the airline industry’s peak season, specially for outbound flights. But considering the number of airlines currently operating in UAE’s, airline sources are confident that the possible rush will not pose much of a problem for travellers.
Jaishree Ramachandran, Air India’s Regional Manager-Dubai and Northern Emirates, said that considering the formalities associated with amnesty applications, it can be assumed that most of the illegal residents will travel by the middle of July.
Ramachandran added that Air India Express will start nine extra flights this summer.
Another source, who requested anonymity, said the number of airlines operating in the UAE is enough to accommodate a possible rush.
05/06/07 Criselda E. Diala/Khaleej Times

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Categories: Air India Jun 2007, Foreign Jun 2007