TIRUCHY: Malaysia-based Malindo Air has announced plans to operate week-long night services in the Tiruchy-Kuala Lumpur-Tiruchy sector starting March 2015 with the passenger traffic in the sector attaining full capacity for both incoming as well as outgoing services.
With the commencement of the new services, the frequency of flights in the sector would rise to 14 per week. Malindo Air currently operates 10 services a week, including seven in the morning and three in the night. In the morning schedule, flight MXD221/222 arrives at the Tiruchy International Airport at 9.55 am, while the scheduled departure in the return direction for the service is at 10.35 am. In the evenings, the incoming flight arrives at 10.50 pm, while the departure for Kuala Lumpur is slated at 11.40 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Speaking to Express, Malindo Air station manager S Balakumaraiah said that starting March, the new services would be introduced on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Balakumaraiah said passenger traffic between Tiruchy and Kuala Lumpur has witnessed a steady upswing as the incoming capacity topped 100 per cent, while the outgoing capacity was pegged at 96 per cent. “As promised by Chief Executive Officer of Malindo Air Chandran Rama Murthy during the carrier’s launch, since its popularity among air travellers has risen, four more services on the sector will be added from March 2015,” he said.
Initially, the airline operated flights only in the mornings. Later, the service was extended to evenings on Mondays, which was followed by an uptick in evening services to three in June 2013, with additional flights scheduled on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Underscoring the key factors prompting the airline to augment services, travel agents said several Indians from abroad, particularly from Malaysia, regularly visit places of worship in and around Tiruchy. Also, there was a rise in the number of tourists going to Malaysia from the district.