Mysuru: Very soon, flights from Mysuru to Coastal City of Mangaluru will be a reality and this flight will boost business in the region. Indigo Airlines has expressed interest in operating flight on this sector. 

A meeting in this regard was held yesterday evening between FKCCI (Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry) former President Sudhakar S. Shetty and Indigo Airlines Director Giridhar at Mysore Airport in Mandakalli where Shetty requested Giridhar to operate flights as the route has good potential.  

Sudhakar Shetty told Giridhar that Mysuru is home for more than 65,000 people who are natives of Dakshina Kannada region and every day, more than 20 Volvo buses travel from Mysuru and Mangaluru. Added, there are many private bus and taxi operators ferrying passengers between the two cities. For these, a regular flight service will be a boon as it saves a lot of time, he opined. 

Also, there are many farmers and businessmen in Mysuru and Mangaluru regions who have business interests in Kuwait and other Arab Nations and a flight to Mangaluru will help them. It will help people to reach Kasargod from Mangaluru as it takes just one hour to reach Kasargod from Mangaluru in a bus. 

New sectors and connecting them to Mysuru will augur well for city’s tourism and industrial growth. Mangaluru, Hubballi, Kalaburagi and Coimbatore are other centres which need to be connected given their commercial importance, Shetty felt. 

From the tourism point of view too flight service to Mangaluru will draw more international travellers. Stakeholders in tourism and hospitality sector feel that new flights will give a fillip to travel industry and Mysuru’s economy to a large extent hinges on it. The city receives around 3.5 million tourists per year on a conservative estimate and almost 90 per cent are domestic travellers.

Mysore Airport Director R. Manjunath, who was also present, explained the infrastructure and facilities available at Mangaluru and Mysuru Airports to Giridhar and the latter assured the meeting that Indigo Airlines will commence a flight service between the two cities soon. 

Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Secretary Srishaila Ramannavar, Indigo Cargo Assistant Director Giridharan, Senior Manager Tousif Mehdi, Operation Manager Mohan Kumar, Dakshina Kannada Sangha District Secretary Janardhan and others were present at the meeting.