Srinagar, Sept 3: The state-owned Air India Friday left hundreds of passengers fuming after it cancelled the tickets it had booked to and from Kashmir for the next two days, raising a question mark over the feasibility of flights operation from the Awantipora Air Base- 25 kilometers from here.
The angry passengers told Greater Kashmir that they received phone calls and e-mails from different Air India offices, informing them that the airline had cancelled all the tickets to Srinagar. “They didn’t cite any reason. They just regretted the inconvenience. It is unfortunate that they are taking the passengers for a ride,” the passengers said.
“Some days back we had booked our tickets to Srinagar. But the AI office called us and asked us to take back the money,” a passenger said.
Informed sources said the flights cancellation came in the wake of Air India’s spontaneous rescheduling of flights to and from the Awantipora aerodrome. “When we booked the tickets to Srinagar few days back, the AI should have categorically mentioned that they won’t be operating to the Valley. That time they booked the tickets. Where shall we go this time when only two flights of GoAir are operating to Kashmir,” they said. “The AI, though a state-owned airline, is proving to be a big disappointment across India on account of frequent flight cancellations. The central government must look into the issue and see why the airlines are reluctant to operate from the Awantipora Air Base,” an angry passenger said.
Pertinently, the Air India rescheduled its flights to Srinagar on Thursday, asserting that it would operate from Jammu and Delhi to Awantipora for just three days on September 6, 9 and 12. The airline made it clear that they won’t be operating any flight on Jammu-Srinagar-Jammu sectors on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th and 15th September in view of the closure of the Srinagar ‘International’ Airport.
“The Ministry of Civil Aviation is adding salt to the injury by stopping the Air India flight operation to the Valley. While the Defence Ministry closed down the airport for 12 days, the Civil Aviation is now troubling people by asking airlines not to operate to Kashmir. What is the fun of making the Awantipora airport operational if all the planes can’t operate? It is just fooling people,” said Zahid, a passenger.
“If GoAir has been allowed to operate two flights a day, why have others been barred? The Civil Aviation Ministry is giving an impression that all is not well with the passenger and airliners’ security if the aircraft operate from the Awantipora aerodrome,” he said.
Officials believe the CA Ministry must instruct all commercial airlines to operate to the Valley keeping in view the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. “There are hundreds of Kashmiris who want to visit the Valley to celebrate Eid with their families. The CA Ministry must ensure that adequate planes operate so that nobody faces any inconvenience on account of air travel,” said an airport official, insisting not to be named.
Meanwhile, two flights of GoAir operated from the Awantipora airport on Friday. The passengers, however, complained of intense security checking and baggage checking at the airport.
They however said they would be travelling by Go Air only in the future as Air India has ditched them at a crucial time.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 3 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 3 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 4 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST