Air India to offer amnesty package

Air India will offer a special package for Indian expatriates returning to the country under the amnesty scheme announced by the UAE. This was disclosed by Federal Minister of State for Civil Aviation K. C. Venugopal while talking to reporters after a meeting of senior officials he convened at Cochin to discuss the problems in the aviation sector. He said that the package to be announced next week will be effective from January 1, 2013. A senior Air India official said that the package will include discounts in Air India and Air India Express fares for the amnesty seekers. Although the exact number of Indians availing the amnesty is not yet known, the Indian associations in the UAE estimate that about 40,000 people overstaying in the country may return to under the scheme. The Kerala government has offered free air tickets to 1,000 people, who cannot afford the airfare. It has also issued an order stating that the government will bear the Dh69 fee for the outpasses of Keralites seeking amnesty. The Air India official said that the national career and its budget arm may also operate special flights under the proposed package if needed. Venugopal said that the government was taking steps to solve the shortage of pilots faced by the two airlines. The board of directors of the Air India Express that met at Cochin on Thursday has already decided to recruit 50 pilots, 30 commanders and 30 co-pilots within one year. The minister said he had directed the customs commissioners at Cochin and Calicut to take steps to speed up the clearance of cargo at the two airports. The minister also announced introduction of Malayalam announcements in all the Air India Express flights in Kerala-Gulf sector from January 1 in a bid to improve the communication between the airline and the passengers. This is in the light of increasing passenger protests in the airports in case of delay and cancellation of flights. One such recent protest had led to a hijack drama at the Trivandrum International Airport. The Air India Express has also plans to serve select Kerala dishes onboard the flights to the Gulf countries. Source : Khaleej Times