Four 'Costa Concordia' survivors return home

January 22, 2012

Karwar/Udupi, January 22: Four people from coastal Karnataka, who were among the 200 Indian survivors in the Italian cruise ship tragedy, have returned home safely.

Tony Fernandes, Xavier D'costa, and Wilson Fernandis, crew members of “Costa Concordia” that ran aground off the coast of Italy last week, have returned to Karwar. While Ajay Quadros (29), a native of Shirva had returned home on Friday through Mangalore airport.

Narrating the incident, they said they were lucky enough to survive. The joint efforts of crew members averted a big tragedy, Mr. Tony said.

According to them, the vessel left the Civitavecchia port in Italy on Friday night. There were 4,200 people on board, including crew members. At 9.45 p.m. (2 a.m. Indian Standard Time), there was a big noise and the vessel started leaning, they said.

After some time, power went off and the vessel stopped moving. Mr. Wilson said the captain blew the accordion which warned that the vessel was sinking.

Mr. Tony said water entered the engine room. Panic-stricken people began calling the control room, but the reply was to keep cool, he said. Then, the crew members rushed to help the passengers and gave them lifejackets, he said.

Mr Ajay Quadros, who has been working for Spain Dining Restaurant run by Costa Crociere for the last four years, said that he was on duty on the ship when it hit a rock on January 13 and sunk.

Of the 1,200 staff, 202 were from India, including 12 from Karnataka. There were 35 people from Goa, he said.

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NRIs push for better air connectivity between Mangaluru and Singapore after AIE setback

News Network

January 13,2025

Mangaluru: Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Singapore remain determined to establish direct air connectivity between Mangaluru and Singapore despite setbacks. This follows Air India Express' (AIE) recent decision to postpone its planned direct flight service on this route, disappointing many expats.

In response, NRIs have proposed an alternative solution: extending IndiGo's existing Singapore-Bengaluru flight to Mangaluru. Currently, the Singapore-Bengaluru flight lands at Kempegowda International Airport at 7:40 AM, but passengers cannot board the 9:00 AM Bengaluru-Mangaluru connection due to insufficient transit time. Extending the Singapore-Bengaluru flight to Mangaluru would address this issue and benefit travelers.

Rajesh H. Acharya, director of HQ Connections in Singapore and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community, expressed disappointment over AIE's handling of the situation. "We’ve been advocating for this route since 2017, and it was close to becoming a reality. However, the sudden postponement and lack of stakeholder support have delayed our efforts," he said.

A petition has been submitted to IndiGo Airlines requesting the introduction of a direct Mangaluru-Singapore flight. Alternatively, it suggests extending IndiGo’s existing Singapore-Bengaluru flight to include Mangaluru. Expats have also approached Scoot Airlines in Singapore for direct connectivity. However, the lack of 'Point of Call' status for Mangaluru Airport remains a significant hurdle for international flights.

Despite the challenges, NRIs continue their efforts to make direct air connectivity between Mangaluru and Singapore a reality.

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Air India Express delays Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight due to low bookings

News Network

January 8,2025

Mangaluru: Air India Express (AIE) has postponed its much-anticipated direct flight service between Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) and Singapore, citing low bookings. Passengers who had booked tickets for the inaugural flight scheduled for January 21 and subsequent dates have been notified of the cancellation through email.

In its email, AIE assured passengers of alternative travel arrangements, including connecting flight options between MIA and Singapore. However, the decision to delay the direct service has left travelers and travel agents disappointed.

An AIE official attributed the postponement to operational challenges but clarified that the airline has not abandoned plans for the route. “We are committed to starting the service, but there is no immediate confirmation on the new launch date,” the official stated. He further explained that sustaining a route requires consistent demand, and seasonal travel alone is insufficient to justify operations.

Another AIE representative admitted that the number of bookings for the inaugural flight was below expectations but declined to disclose specific figures.

Rajesh H Acharya, director of HQ Connections Pte Ltd in Singapore and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community, expressed his disappointment. Acharya, who has been advocating for a direct flight between Mangaluru and Singapore since 2017, said, “After years of effort, we finally convinced the airline to start this service, but it has now been deferred.”

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Acharya posted: "Did not expect such behavior from @AirIndiaX, now owned by @TataCompanies & @SIAirlines. If there are issues, travelers deserve to be informed well in advance. This decision needs investigation at the highest level."

The delay has raised questions among the travel community, with many hoping the airline will address these concerns and provide a clear timeline for the launch of the Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight.

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