New Delhi, June 27, 2013: Air India (AI) has flown out more than 400 pilgrims and tourists from various places in the flood-ravaged Uttarakhand.

The national carrier has made seats available for more than 350 passengers going to Chennai and 75 to Odisha, who were stranded at different locations in the State, a statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

AI was providing a 50 per cent discount on basic fare for passengers on flights operating out of Dehradun. Its officials were in contact with the resident commissioners of Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to provide details of availability of seats.

“On the recommendation of the resident commissioners of various States, the Safdarjung booking office of Air India was issuing tickets for the stranded passengers,” the statement said. If no low-cost tickets were available, the officials provided confirmed ticket at cheap rates to the passengers. The airline has also sent more workers to manage the heavy rush of passengers at Dehradun. Its station manager has been directed to remain available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bookings at the Dehradun station were being coordinated with the reservation manager, Delhi.

The airline has extended the working hour of its booking counters at Safdarjung

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 27, 2013.