5,000 TOURISTS AFFECTED BY CANCELLED INDIAN AIRLINES FLIGHTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- About 5,000 tourists from Chennai, India to
Malaysia and vice versa, are reported to be affected by the cancellation of
Indian Airlines flights since yesterday due to operational problems.

Malaysian Indian Tour and Travel Association (MITA) president K.Thangavelu said
passengers who had booked tickets on Indian Airlines would be alternatively put
on Air India Express, their budget airlines which goes to Chennai via Trichy.

"We are shocked to hear the last-minute cancellations by them, especially during
the peak season such as festivals and the school holidays," he told a news
conference, here, Tuesday.

He said the flight cancellations had become a disaster not only for tourists but
also for travel agencies as they would have to change the flights.

He lamented that even some of the tourists were still unaware that their flights
had been cancelled as MITA could not contact them.

"We managed to contact a few passengers but could not reach the others. This
group of people will definitely miss their flights," he said.

Indian Airlines flight from Malaysia to Chennai is supposed to take
off at 9.35am and depart from India to Malaysia at 2.50am daily.
-- BERNAMA