Flying Air India gives country’s top shotgun shooters goose bumps

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry’s ‘verbal’ directive to the national sports federations that they can only fly Air India, the national carrier, has the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) in a quandary.
The shooting team is scheduled to participate in the Asian Clay Championship at Almaty, Kazakhstan from September 21-29, but the very thought of boarding the flight is giving the shotgun shooters sleepless nights. “There is a direct Air Astana flight to Almaty which takes just four hours, but thanks to the ministry’s directive, we can only fly Air India even if it means that we reach our destination after more than 20 hours,” said a trap marksman.
“Not just that, there is a huge — perhaps three times — difference in air fare. While a direct Air Astana ticket costs in the range of Rs 26,000, an Air India flight via Tashkent or Dubai is almost Rs 60,000,” he said.
HT’s air travel bureau too confirmed the above-mentioned fares. With 22-odd marksmen and some coaches making up the contingent, the price difference can well be imagined.
“This is ridiculous. With a stopover of more than 12 hours in Dubai and the hassles relating to special gun and ammunition permits, how can we expect our shooters to be at the range fit and ready to fire after such an ordeal the day before,” questioned NRAI secretary-general Baljeet Singh Sethi.
26/08/09 Ajai Masand/Hindustan Times

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Categories: Air India - International Aug 2009, Foreign Aug 2009, NACIL Aug 2009