Middle East traffic boost to airline biz

Mumbai: International carriers are increasingly landing in sleepy airports across the country. Among the reasons for this is the fact that emigration from these regions to the Middle East has been spiralling among the middle and lower middle class.
"Nagpur was centrally located and was closer to these regions than Hyderabad. It did not have a busy runway, which meant our flights could land and take off in 45 minutes — a vital factor in low-cost operations."
Air Arabia's narrow-bodied aircraft got a tremendous response in the very first week of its launch. In two months, the frequency was increased to five times a week.
Like with Trichy, which probably became the first non-metro to see an international flight when Sri Lankan Airlines connected it to Colombo way back in 1981.
But in 2004, as the lure of jobs in the Middle East spread, the airline launched daily flights.
Another town which will see a secondary business avenue opening up is Jaipur, which was linked to Sharjah this year by Air Arabia's direct flight.
There are scores of similar destinations with high potential like Bihar.
03/11/06 Manju V/Times of India

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