Kolkata’s last Europe air link to be severed this month – Times of India

Kolkata News

File photo of a Kolkata-London Air India flight. The traveltrade community reacted with dismay at the development, pointing out that the flight was clocking good load even in the business class

KOLKATA: The last Air India flight from Kolkata to London will take off on March 20, severing the only direct connection the city had with Europe.
Sources said the decision was prompted by the grounding of several Air India aircraft to get them refurbished as part of Tata Group’s efforts to reposition the airline and its brand image post takeover.
“Sad but true, the once-a-week AI Kolkata-London flight that was operating to near-full capacity will be withdrawn from March 21. Hopefully, once the grounded aircraft are back in service, the flight will be revived,” an airline official said. Among several other flights that have been axed is the popular Bengaluru-London connection.
The travel-trade community reacted with dismay at the development, pointing out that the flight was clocking good load even in the business class.
Introduced in the middle of the pandemic after nearly 13 years, the flight had a chequered existence. It began with a twice-a-week operation in September 2020 but was reduced to one flight-a-week by next month. Loads were just beginning to pick up when the announcement came.
Thereafter, the state suspended the flight operationin December 2020 over fears of the Covid UK strain. London strain in December 2020. It resumed operation once a week in August 2021, but again got suspended for a month in Janurya 2022 in the wake of the Omicron-fuelled third wave. Despite the interruptions and limited schedule, the flight continued to register about 80% passenger load. .
“The 256-seat Boeing B 787 Dreamliner that is being used in this sector is a relatively new aircraft. I guess, while rationalising operations owing to grounding of aircraft, the plane had to be allocated elsewhere. But we hope it returns soon and this time with improved frequency because this is a sector that will do well. But we believe this is a neglect to our state especially when we have potential to cater to passengers to and from Europe,” said Travel Agents’ Federation of India chairman (east) Anil Punjabi.
Frequent flyers rued the decision as it would mean changing at least two flights and therefore queuing up for security checks at two other airports for a journey between the two cities.
“My daughter stays in London while my mother lives in Hastings. I travel between Kolkata and London at least five times a year, at times with my elderly mother, and had been availing this AI flight for the last two years. I was scheduled to fly to London again in April and I guess I will have to make the journey via Delhi, Dubai or Qatar,” said Abesh Choudhury (49), a lawyer who practises both in London and Kolkata.
Corporate executive Shankho Chowdhury said the airline’s decision is a big blow to Kolkata Inc as the flight not only catered to businesses with tie-ups in the UK and elsewhere in Europe but offered a decent stop midway for those heading to the US.
Manav Soni, eastern region head of Travel Agents’ Association of India, is hoping Air India will also revive operations to Thailand, Hong Kong, Dubai and Kathmandu on international sectors.

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Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/kolkatas-last-europe-air-link-to-be-severed-this-month/articleshow/89981529.cms