'There may be an impact...': Ahead of Bengaluru bandh, Akasa Air, SpiceJet issue advisory for passengers

Akasa Air and SpiceJet on Monday issued an advisory for their passengers in Bengaluru ahead of the bandh announced in the Karnataka capital.

Pro-Kannada organisations have given a call for 'Bengaluru Bandh' on September 26 in protest against the release of 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

The organisations appealed to schools, colleges, shopkeepers, owners of various commercial establishments, factories, companies and transporters to support their call for a shutdown.

Akasa Air said "there may be an impact on public transport facilities for travel to and from the airport".

"Due to the Bandh declared in Bengaluru on 26 Sep 2023, there may be an impact on public transport facilities for travel to and from the airport. To ensure a seamless experience, we recommend that you plan for extra travel time and reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to the departure of your Akasa Air flight. Please check your flight status here: https://bit.ly/qpfltsts," posted Akasa Air on X platform (formerly Twitter).

Akasa Air also offered its customers an option to book an alternate, available flight at no additional cost.

"In case you choose not to travel to or from Bengaluru on 26 Sep 2023, you may request to be rebooked on an alternate, available flight at no additional cost, by calling our Akasa Care Centre on +91 9606 112131," said Akasa Air. 

"Due to the Bangalore Bandh declared on 26th September'23, local transport facilities may be affected. Passengers are advised to allow sufficient time for their journey and report at least 180 minutes prior to the departure time to avoid any last-minute hassle," said SpiceJet on X.

The official call for shutdown in Bengaluru was given on Saturday by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits observing 'Mandya Bandh.' Last week, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had directed Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days, after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) made such a recommendation last week. 

The Supreme Court had also refused to interfere with orders of the CWMA and CWRC directing Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, following which protests erupted in different parts of the state. Karnataka has been maintaining that it was not in a position to release water, taking into account its own requirement for drinking water and irrigation of standing crops in the Cauvery basin areas, as there has been water scarcity due to deficit monsoon rains.

As part of the bandh, the airport taxi services are likely to be impacted, however, Namma Metro services will continue to operate as usual by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

Amid restrictions, essential services such as hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies and government offices will remain open.

The Kannada film industry has expressed support for the bandh and hence, the movie theatres in the city are expected to remain closed.

With inputs from PTI