Three trade bodies in the city have come together to demand a direct flight service from Madurai to Dubai and other destinations in the West Asia.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNCCI), Sourashtra Chamber of Commerce, Madurai and Madurai Travel Club are travelling to Dubai to press the demand.
They propose to meet senior officials of Air India/Air India Express in Dubai on January 22 to impress upon them the need for the introduction of direct flights between Madurai and Dubai and other Gulf countries.
The delegation is led by Madurai’s former Member of Parliament, A.G.S. Rambabu. TNCCI senior president S. Rethinavelu claimed that a large number of people from Tamil Nadu are living in the United Arab Emirates and these travellers have to use Tiruchi or Chennai airports.
Madurai exports seasonal flowers (primarily jasmine), fruits and vegetables, granite products, surgical equipment, textiles and automobile spares. The introduction of a direct flight will spur industrial growth and invite large scale investments to Madurai, he claimed.
He demanded the establishment of a full fledged cargo terminal at the airport and the appointment of a Plant Quarantine Officer to facilitate international cargo movement through Madurai.