Yet another A-I bonanza takes wings

LUCKNOW: Opening up the summer skies for it''s outbound passengers from Lucknow, and after starting direct connectivity from Lucknow to London, Air India has now announced yet another bonanza.
For passengers travelling to an international destination, the airline is now offering a package termed as "Flexi-connect", wherein the cost of the Lucknow-Delhi connection for all passengers travelling abroad has been slashed to Rs 600 plus taxes.This is cheaper than even AC class train fare to New Delhi and an ordinary flight fare to Delhi which is more than Rs 3,000.
However, the return fare is Rs 1,200 plus taxes. Air India officials said that this flight also gives the flexibility to international travellers to reach the airport, book their luggage in with the Airport Authority of India cloakrooms and then use the extra hours that they usually spend waiting at the hub to get their work done.
Average waiting time at the hub during the summer holiday rush season can be anywhere between 6-8 hours, unnecessarily prolonging the travel time, jet lag and exhaustion. This scheme offers flexibility to passengers to cut the time spent at the hub that offers international connectivity. It is estimated that 600-700 international passengers fly out of Lucknow every month.
And for the denizens of Uttar Pradesh, the good news doesn''t stop here. In a bid to attract more passengers every Saturday, a special UP workers fare is also available on the Dubai flight. Air India is charging Rs 9,600 plus taxes to Dubai and Rs 16,000 plus taxes as return fare that is especially designed for UP workers. One way this this Saturday fare fever for the workers of UP is cheaper by Rs 1,700.
In view of a construction boom in UAE in the coming seven-eight months, a massive number of visa applications are already in the pipeline. Cashing in on this trend of worker movement out of UP, especially painters, masons and shuttering workers migrating for construction work in UAE, Air India is offering a discount on fares.
It is observed that stone masons from Jodhpur and Shekhawati travel to West Asia, carpenters from Doaba region in Punjab and painters and masons come from eastern UP while washermen travel from Unnao.