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Malaysia Airlines to open New Flights to India
Malaysia Airlines would begin operations from Kolkata in late December as part of the first phase of its India-wide expansion plans, a top airlines official said here today. Divulging its plans, the airlines' Network Development Controller for Europe, Australia, New Zealand and China, Norzalda Md Din, told PTI here that the maiden Kolkata-Kuala Lumpur flight would take off sometime in late December. "We have been negotiating with the Airports Authority of India on the timing of the flight.
We would like it to be a late night flight while the AAI has given us a morning slot. However, we are working out how it can be converted to a night slot," Md Din said. West Bengal Tourism Minister Dinesh Dakua, who met a two-member delegation of the airlines during the day, said that since Kolkata is the gateway to eastern India, he would take a personal interest and discuss the matter with the AAI.
Md Din said that the thrice-a-week flight had been planned after a thorough study of the load factor of the Singapore and Thai Airways flights operating on the same route. "Both these flights are doing very well and there is no reason why we should doubt our potential," Airlines Sales Manager for North India Henry Moses, who was here to finalise the modalities, said.
Incidentally, last week the Royal Brunei Airlines announced winding up its operation from Kolkata airport for lack of enough revenue.
Kolkata 6/9/2004
