| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia| 2 Sept 2015 | Asia Samachar |
Malindo Air’s booking for flights to Amritsar, a favourite destination for Sikhs, will open after 2pm today. The fare is expected to be around RM1,200.
“We will have three weekly flights: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays,” Malindo Air CEO Chandran Rama Muthy tells Asia Samachar.
The flights depart from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) in Sepang at 11.45am and reaches Amritsar, Punjab, at 3pm.
“We prefer to fly earlier. We are negotiating [with Amritsar airport authorities] for an earlier time slot,” he said.
The direct Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar flight has generated much interest from the Sikh community in Malaysia, and may also attract passengers from neighbouring Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
Malindo is filling up a vacuum left by Singapore Airlines (SIA) decision to drop its direct flights to Amritsar, Punjab, in 2009.
An early teaser message from a Kuala Lumpur-based travel agent has been making its rounds on the social media in Malaysia. However, those who visited the Malindo website could not find the Amritsar route as it has yet to be uploaded.
“It should be up later today, maybe after 2pm,” Chandran tells Asia Samachar.
The expected RM1,200 fare includes 20kg baggage but excludes taxes, it is understood. The details will be available once the link at the Malindo website for the Amritsar flight is up and running.
On Aug 5, Tribune reported that Malindo Air will launch its flight between Amritsar and Kuala Lumpur from October, without giving a specific date.
The report quoted airport director V Venkateshwar Rao as saying that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has accepted the request of the airline to set up a counter and an office in the vicinity of the airport.
They had then yet to get the approval of Director General Civil Aviation, he added.
Malindo, a so-called hybrid airline whose first flight took off in March 2013, says it has a way of providing low air fare with premium in-flight services included, which means your baggage allowance and in-flight entertainment are taken care of.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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As the airline is flying into the holy city of Amritsar, please ensure that food served is prepared according to Sikh principles.
Can the CEO provide a statement on that?