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The much awaited flight from Kuwait landed at the Bajpe Airport in Mangalore on July 18th 2008 at 8:50 am sharp. It was a sunny morning with no sign of dark clouds or impending rain. The weather seemed to be in keeping with the beaming faces of the passengers who alighted and made their way to the arrival lounge.
This flight had been a much awaited one by the Mangaloreans in Kuwait who had to undergo a number of administrative and technical hitches before they finally got the opportunity to fly directly to Mangalore. For the incoming flight, 137 seats had been booked from Kuwait and the rest were from Sharjah.
Speaking to Mangalorean.com, M.R. Vasudev, Director, Airport Authority of India, expressed his happiness that the first flight from Kuwait had finally landed at Bajpe Airport. He conveyed his thanks to Veerappa Moily and the Mangaloreans in Kuwait who had relentlessly pursued the matter for all these years.
Most of the passengers who spoke to Mangalorean.com vouched for the fact that it had been a smooth and enjoyable flight. They had promised themselves and their families that they would be on this flight and true to their word they had made it today. They agreed that flying directly to Mangalore without having to alight at Mumbai was an experience that they would want to repeat again and again. Friends and relatives were gathered outside the airport to receive their loved ones.
Some well known personalities from Kuwait were on board. They included Archie Menezes and Pascal Pinto from UAKK who both expressed their joy of travelling direct to Mangalore for the first time. They were both happy that 10 years of hard work had paid off. Jossie Pinto, President of KCWA and Mangalorean.com team member in Kuwait, was overwhelmed at the experience of flying directly to his hometown. He echoed the sentiments of Mr. Pinto and Mr. Menezes and congratulated all his fellow Mangaloreans in Kuwait. Sathishchandra Shetty, President of Tulukoota Kuwait also congratulated all the organizations and individuals in Kuwait who had worked hard for this flight to commence. Elias Sanctis who travels three times a month to Mangalore was especially happy that he would have to spend only 6 hrs travelling instead of the customary 14 hrs flight via Mumbai.
A press conference was held after the flight landed. Similar sentiments were expressed by all present there. At the inaugural ceremony from Mangalore yesterday, Air India Express officials said that six new aircraft would be added to the fleet in October 2009. A direct flight connecting Riyadh and Dammam to Mangalore is on their agenda, they said. When this happens, AI will have connectivity to all the oft travelled Gulf destinations.
Meanwhile, TULUKOOTA KUWAIT extends congratulations to all Mangaloreans in Kuwait on the successful landing of their maiden flight to Mangalore
Source : Mangalorean.com
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