Cashing In On Amnesty Crowds

Airlines and other service providers are gearing up to rake in the profits given the sheer volume of passengers involved as thousands of illegal workers take advantage of the amnesty for a safe passage home.
The amnesty expected to generate good business for airlines, if they offer discounted fares to the estimated 150,000 illegal Indian workers who travel home.
Air India’s regional manager for Dubai and the northern emirates, Jaishree Ramchandran, said: "We have had a request from the Indian Embassy for reduced fares for amnesty seekers and are in the process of discussing it. In the event that amnesty-seekers decide to travel a few weeks or a fortnight before the deadline is over, that will be a challenge," she said.
Air India Express has expanded its flights from five a week to Kozhikode, to 13 flights a week since Saturday, said regional director F. J. Vaz.
Abhay Pathak, Gulf regional manager for Indian does not believe amnesty seekers will necessarily generate more business. "Business comes when there is extra demand, which means additional capacity. This will be a loss as it’s going to be one-way," he said.
However, Shakir Kantawala, Jet Airways’ regional sales and marketing manager for the Gulf, Middle East and Africa, said: "Airlines will definitely get business if there are increased numbers. Jet Airways is working with its general service agents to come up with special packages for amnesty seekers."
12/07/07 Subramani Dharmarajan/XPRESS, United Arab Emirates

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Categories: Air India Express Jul 2007, Foreign Jul 2007, Indian Jul 2007