Calcutta-Singapore AI Debut flight empty

The “much-hyped” Calcutta-Singapore operations of Air India Express made a disastrous debut on Sunday.
The inaugural flight of Air India’s low-cost carrier took off from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport with 28 passengers and returned with just two passengers. The aircraft has 180 seats.
Sources said Monday’s flight from Calcutta had even fewer bookings.
Calcutta airport sources said the flight took off at 7am after the service was inaugurated by V. Thulasidas, the chairman and managing director of Air India. It returned at 5.15pm.
Airline officials blamed the poor turnout on the delayed start in bookings, which opened on September 28. The directorate-general of civil aviation had told Air India that there was a delay in getting permission from the Singapore government for operating the flights. Airline officials hoped the situation would improve in the next few weeks.
08/10/07 The Telegraph

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Categories: Air India - International Oct 2007, Air india Budget Oct 2007, Foreign Oct 2007, NACL Oct 2007