VISAKHAPATNAM: Here is good news for Vizagites. At a time some airlines have withdrawn services from Visakhapatnam, NokAir has come forward to launch services to Bangkok from the city.
Poonam, head of sales from Nok Airlines, on Monday met MP MVVV Satyanarayana at his camp office here on Monday and during the meeting, she disclosed the proposal. NokAir is likely to start operations from Vizag to Bangkok from October 28.
President of Tours and Travels Association of Andhra Pradesh K Vijay Mohan and vice-president of Air Travellers Association O Naresh Kumar were also present at the meeting.
The MP promised to extend all possible help to get clearances for the new flight. The MP promised her to get time slots at the airport.
Later, Poonam held a meeting with tour operators in Vizag to seek their opinion with regard to the proposal. Naresh Kumar said the NokAir official was convinced that there was good demand from Visakhapatnam sector for service to Bangkok. He said they told her that in view of the decision of the AirAisa to withdraw service to Bangkok from Visakhapatnam from September 16, it will be opportune time to launch the flight from the city.
He said Poonam told the gathering that NokAir will be launching flight service from Guwahati to Bangkok three days in a week from October 28. She said she will be sending a favourable report on the proposal to launch flight service from Vizag to their head office, Naresh Kumar said. She also said if everything goes well the airline wants to launch the flight service from Vizag on four days in a week from October 28. All the agents assured her that the airlines would do very well and were expecting a fare off about `12,000.
NokAir proposal has come as a boost to tourism sector in the wake of two airlines have announced discontinuation of flight services from Vizag within a fortnight. While Alliance Air withdrew service to Vijayawada due to denial of slot by navy at the airport Thai Air Asia announced withdrawal of services from Vizag.
Vijay Mohan said Air Asia have to blame themselves for whole thing. They were selling at `6,000 to `8,000 for a round trip fare for some time and also for some time topped it up with free baggage. He said NokAir has good connectivity from Bangkok to China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries.