The sudden suspension of four crucial weekly flight services connecting Trichy International Airport to key Gulf destinations has sparked significant distress among the large expatriate community from Tamil Nadu. The move by Air India Express, which has effectively reduced direct connectivity, forces passengers into longer, more expensive, and cumbersome journeys.
Flight Cuts: The Specifics and the Scale
Until recently, Trichy airport, the state's second busiest international hub, was linked to seven Gulf cities with 23 weekly flights, all operated by Air India Express. However, starting in the last week of October, the airline suspended four of these services. The affected routes are flights to Dammam (on Sundays and Thursdays), Kuwait City (on Saturdays), and Doha (on Fridays).
This decision has a tangible impact on the airport's network. The number of Gulf destinations directly accessible from Trichy has now dropped from seven to four, and the total weekly flight count has fallen from 23 to 19. This reduction comes despite substantial and consistent passenger demand from not just Trichy but its vast catchment area spanning over ten districts.
The Ripple Effect: Passenger Ordeal and Economic Impact
For over a month, the absence of these direct links has severely limited options for travelers. Passengers are now compelled to use circuitous routes through other Indian airports like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Thiruvananthapuram, or even via Colombo in Sri Lanka for international connections. This multiplies travel time, cost, and hassle.
The situation is particularly acute for non-resident Indians (NRIs) facing emergencies. A B Khaleel Ahmed Baaqavee, general secretary of the Kuwait Tamil Islamic Committee (K-Tic), highlighted the severe difficulties. "NRIs travelling home for an emergency suffer the most," he said, noting the need to land in distant cities and undertake long road journeys. He also pointed out the skyrocketing cost of tickets to alternative airports, baggage handling problems, and the disruption to the routine export of vegetables and sweets from Trichy to Kuwait, especially during festivals.
The vulnerability of relying on connecting flights was starkly illustrated recently. A group of Trichy passengers returning from Dammam, who had to transit through Colombo, found themselves stranded at the airport due to Cyclone Ditwah—a predicament they would have avoided with a direct flight.
Calls for Restoration and Future Expansion
The suspension is especially ironic given the recent revised bilateral air services agreement between India and Kuwait, which expanded the weekly seat capacity from 12,000 to 18,000 seats for each side. Instead of capitalizing on this increased capacity, the cancellation has angered the Tamil community in Kuwait.
Local authorities are taking note. Durai Vaiko, Trichy MP and chairman of the Trichy airport advisory committee, stated he would approach the Air India Express management. His goals are to apprise them of the need for new and additional services from Trichy and to discuss the reasons behind the suspension to find a solution.
This setback occurs even as travel associations and passengers have been actively demanding new flight services from Trichy to Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the gap between existing services and the actual demand from the region.
