Date:24/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/24/stories/2003042403051200.htm

National

BA keen on more services to Chennai

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI APRIL 23. As part of its plan to increase services between southern Indian destinations and London, a four-member British Airways (BA) delegation led by the Head of International Relations, Government and Industry Affairs, David Richardson, today sought the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's help in enhancing the present bi-weekly services to Chennai to least four by October, synchronising with the European carrier's winter schedule.

During the 30-minute meeting at the Secretariat here, Mr. Richardson said the current mission was a "step up" in continuation of the earlier visit of his predecessor, Mike Hall, who had a similar meeting in October 2002, and to explain the airline's commitment to place Chennai as a priority destination among South Indian metro points.

Mr. Richardson later told The Hindu that the delegation appealed to the Chief Minister to seek the Centre's help to augment services to Chennai, especially when the Airports Authority of India was getting ready to commission the new international departure module. The other members of the BA delegation included Andy Stern, General Manager, South Asia, Alok Sawhney, Commercial Manager-India (both based in New Delhi), and Rommel Valles, Manager-South India, based in Chennai.

An official press release said the Chief Minister had assured the delegation that she would take up the issue with the Centre.

"Our services are largely back to normal in the Gulf routes. We are resuming our operations to Kuwait from the beginning of May. Our North Atlantic traffic is weak because of the general feeling among international travellers preferring not to travel. And on the global epidemic, SARS, it is difficult. We have cut off Hong Kong. But, on the whole, we have not been severely affected when compared to other global carriers."

Mr. Stern said there would be better deals on the trans-Atlantic sector. "Our plan is to add frequency and serve better the South Indian market. And our game plan is to have at least four flights between Chennai and London and after we are successful with four, we have long-term plans to serve the Chennai market six times a week."