Chennai: Tamilnadu Chief Minister M K Stalin today urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to ink temporary air bubble pact with Singapore and Malaysia for resumption of direct flight services for the benefit of Tamil diaspora.
In a letter to Jyotiraditya Scindia, copies of which were released to the media here, he said Tamils who were having permanent residentship of Singapore and Malaysia and other travellers from Tamilnadu, who made their trip to India during pandemic period were facing hardship for their return journey due to non-availability of direct flight services.
They have to travel through Dubai, Doha and Colombo which was causing serious inconvenience and financial burden as they have to pay more air charges and travel through long distance due to the detour.
‘In addition, due to the lack of agreement of temporary ‘Air Transport Bubbles’ between Singapore and Malaysia, the travel business is being cornered by other foreign airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Sri Lankan Airlines and not to our country’s airlines’, Stalin pointed out.
‘Hence, I request you to make a temporary ‘Air Transport Bubbles’ agreement with Singapore and Malaysia at the earliest, for providing temporary airline services and resolve the difficulties faced by the Tamil diaspora in Singapore and Malaysia’, he added.