The Hindu Business Line : IA Chennai-Colombo flights via Bangalore on two days

INDIAN Airlines (IA) will be operating its Colombo-Chennai flight IC 574 via Bangalore on November 14 and the Chennai-Colombo flight IC 573 on November 26 to enable passengers going to Sri Lanka. IA does not operate direct flights from Bangalore.

The airline has also announced a special fare of Rs 1,255 (one-way) against the regular fare of Rs 3180 between Bangalore and Chennai for passengers to board the flights to and from Colombo.

An IA spokesperson said that the special passenger pick-up from Bangalore was part of the airline's promotion of the Chennai-Colombo circuit.

The special arrangement has been made also due to heavy group travel movement from Bangalore, the spokesperson added.

With a long week-end on account of Deepavali and Muharram, heavy passenger booking to Colombo has been recorded, according to airline sources.

SriLankan Airlines is the only carrier operating direct services with 14 flights a week from Bangalore to Colombo.

According to an IA release, on November 14 the Chennai-Colombo IC 573 will leave Chennai at 12.30 p.m. and arrive in Colombo at 2.20 p.m. (local time).

Flight IC 574 in the return direction, via Bangalore, will leave Colombo at 3.45 p.m. (local time), reach Bangalore at 4.35 p.m. and leave Bangalore at 5.25 p.m. to arrive in Chennai at 6.10 p.m.

On November 26, flight IC 573 on the Chennai-Colombo sector will operate via Bangalore, leaving Chennai at 12.30 p.m., reaching Bangalore at 1.15 p.m. and leave Bangalore at 2.15 p.m. and reach Colombo at 4.05 p.m.

The return flight will leave Colombo at 5.05 p.m. (local time) and arrive at Chennai at 5.55 p.m.