Northeast

Alliance Air halts Aizawl-Imphal services, puts heavy burden on travelers

Alliance Air has been reportedly unpredictable and unreliable since the second week of October 2024 for those traveling from Imphal-Aizawl and Aizawl-Imphal. The last service from Aizawl to Imphal by Alliance Air was on October 9, as per sources.

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 27 Oct 2024, 12:55 am

Representational Image (Photo: Pixabay)
Representational Image (Photo: Pixabay)

The cancellation of air tickets by Alliance Air and the halting of Aizawl to Imphal flight services has put a heavy burden on many who are planning to return to their homes during the festive season.

Alliance Air has been reportedly unpredictable and unreliable since the second week of October 2024 for those traveling from Imphal-Aizawl and Aizawl-Imphal. The last service from Aizawl to Imphal by Alliance Air was on October 9, as per sources.  

After October 9 2024, Alliance Air allegedly cancelled their service either one or two days ahead of the schedule. From the last week of October onwards the flight is officially cancelled up to November 2, sources. It is not certain whether the service of the Alliance Air will resume from the next day.

As a result, many passengers, mostly Meiteis, are facing lots of problems due to the cancellation of Alliance Air flights.

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Many who came to see their family members in Aizawl before October 9 had to return home via Guwahati or Kolkata not only at exorbitant fare rates but it consumed time and they had to stay overnight in Guwahati.

The mode of transportation between Imphal and Aizawl especially for the Meitei
depends on air through Alliance Air, particularly after the violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023.

They can longer visit their ailing parents while some have failed to reach before the funeral service of their loved ones who died during this period. Some people have missed the marriage ceremony of their relatives.

Many could not go home for Ningol Chakkouba which is one of the main festivals in Manipur. Travelers now come to Aizawl to see their family members via Guwahati or Kolkata.  

Alliance Air, a division of Air India Limited, launched its Imphal-Aizawl-Imphal flight operations in 2022. The flight was launched by Chief Minister N Biren Singh through video conferencing  at the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal.

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On a social media post, chief minister N Biren Singh had stated that “this was another significant milestone achieved in terms of air connectivity as the NE states witness the growth of aircraft movements under the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji’s UDAN scheme, which has made air travel affordable by upgrading airports, increasing air routes, and subsidizing air travel.

With a total of Rs 5,500 crore allotted for the upgradation of airports, gone are the days of marginalization, backwardness, and underdevelopment as Manipur and the rest of the NE states are now a high-priority area for development, progress, and integration.”

As per reports, Alliance Air had reportedly stated at the time of launch that the Imphal-Aizawl-Imphal flight will operate five days a week-on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Alliance Air also recently launched a new route connecting Imphal with Tezu Airport in Arunachal Pradesh under the RCS UDAN Scheme.

A release stated that Alliance Air will operate the route with an ATR 72 aircraft, providing service between Tezu and Imphal. It mentioned that the flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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First published:

Tags:

Ningol ChakkoubaImphal-Aizawl-Imphal flightRCS UDAN Schemealliance air

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

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