After a gap of long four decades (41-year), Alliance Air formally started its maiden international operations on the Chennai-Jaffna route by launching its service thrice a week. The wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India would fly between Chennai and Jaffna on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Alliance Air connects 53 destinations within India with113 destinations per day. Jaffna is the 54th destination for the airline.
Commemorating the beginning of the service, Governor of the Northern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka Suren Raghavan took part in the journey. Raghavan said, he expects the new airport in Jaffna would create new relationships as well as trade links between the two countries.
During the decades-old civil war in Sri Lanka, the flight operations were suspended. Jaffna International Airport, earlier known as Palaly airport, was used as a military airbase and for domestic flights. Both Sri Lankan President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had formally unveiled a plaque commemorating the inauguration of the airport on 17th October.
Alliance Air said in a statement that the flight service was special in many ways. “Apart from being Alliance Air’s maiden international foray, it connects Chennai and Jaffna after a gap of 41 years.”
Flyers coming to Chennai from New Delhi, Coimbatore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Dubai, Thiruvananthapuram and Muscat have the option of connecting onwards to Jaffna over Chennai.
“A proud moment-second airline in Air India group goes global”, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani said.
Just before commence of the service, Alliance Air CEO, C S Subbiah said: “it brings us immense pleasure after spearheading efforts connecting unique regional routes within India under UDAN, we are now set to fly internationally. This will be the first non-stop service between Chennai and Jaffna” he said.
The fares between the two cities Chennai-Jaffna route are priced at Rs 3,990 while the return journey is priced at Rs 3,190 plus government taxes.
