A forum of Tamil expatriates from India has requested the airline companies in the Gulf region to consider operating flights to Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) International Airport in central Tamil Nadu for the next few days as the Chennai International Airport has been closed since Tuesday owing to the prevailing flood situation in the southern metropolis.
“At least five international airlines, including an Air India service from Dubai, is serving Trichy currently,” said Raju Murugan, an office-bearer of the Qatar Indian Tamizhar Munnetra Sangham.
The suggestion has come in the light of the Indian Met department forecasting heavy rains to continue in Chennai and places along the northern sea coast of Tamil Nadu for the whole week.
As a lot of people from across the world travel to Tamil Nadu during the months of December and January, it would benefit such passengers if flights are temporarily operated to Tiruchi until the weather improves in Chennai for normal flight operations to resume, he urged.
Images of Chennai airport, one of the top five airports in India, flooded with water following heavy rains have gone viral on social networks.
Malindo Airlines and Air Asia (both from Malaysia), Tiger Airways (Singapore),  Sri Lankan Airlines, Air India Express and Jet Airways from Dubai are operating to Trichy. A senior travel industry professional told Gulf Times that passenger traffic to Trichy airport is on the rise these days.