Passengers opting for ‘stopovers’ over direct flights

Kochi: The concept of direct flights to the European countries and the Americas are fading away with passengers opting for a stopover before reaching their destination.
Only a few passengers demand direct flights for long distance destinations. The aviation companies are not able to introduce direct flights as the number of passengers who prefer a direct journey is very less.
Most carriers are operating direct flights from one or two destinations in India with connection flights from different airports within the county.
Sources from Kingfisher Airlines said that they have started a connection flight from Kochi to London via Bangalore. But they are not able to operate the direct flight as the number of passengers are less to the European countries, except the Gulf.
Now there are facilities for providing two boarding passes and completing the emigration proceedings from the domestic terminal of the Cochin International Airport and also at the stopover in another airport in India. The check-in for passengers arriving in the connecting flight at Bangalore is more flexible as the movement from domestic to international terminals can be had from inside the airport.
Air India sources said that the company had no immediate plans for direct flights to long distance destinations from Kerala. They pointed out that the majority of the passengers opt for a stopover or a break during the journey which has become a trend.
“Those who fly on long distance flights to India usually demand a stopover in the Gulf countries or in Singapore for three or four days. The majority of them get off there for shopping and others to visit their friends or relatives”, sources said.
27/12/08 Express Buzz

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Categories: Foreign Dec 2008, Indian Aviation- In General Dec 2008