CHENNAI: State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ma Subramanian, on Saturday urged the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to address difficulties faced by passengers flying from Chennai to Madurai and other southern destinations.
In a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Subramanian noted that passengers boarding ATR flights from Chennai to Madurai were being subjected to avoidable hardship as aircraft were being parked in remote bays several kilometres from the terminal.
“Passengers are taken by shuttle buses to these bays, and in many cases, the bus ride is as long as, or even longer than, the flight itself. Limited seating in these buses forces elderly passengers, children, and those with health conditions to stand throughout the journey,” he highlighted.
The Minister pointed out that such arrangements are reportedly made to cut parking charges. “While this may reduce costs for the airline or airport authorities, it directly affects the safety and comfort of passengers,” he said.
Subramanian also raised concerns over the use of smaller ATR aircraft on high-demand routes such as Chennai–Madurai, Chennai–Thoothukudi, and Chennai–Tiruchy. He said deploying larger aircraft like Airbus on these sectors would help meet the passenger load more effectively.
He urged the Union Minister to ensure ATR flights to Madurai are parked closer to the terminal, improve shuttle facilities with adequate seating in the interim, and introduce larger aircraft on busy routes.
“We hope the Ministry will take prompt measures to resolve these issues and improve the travel experience for passengers,” he added.