NEDUMBASSERY: Hundreds of differently-abled children, destitute elders and even HIV positive kids will have a memorable day when Air India and Rotary Club of Cochin Airport with the support of various organisations and corporates arrange a free air travel from Kochi to Kanyakumari and back on Sunday, the day before Children’s Day.The special passengers will be accompanied by Excise Minister K Babu, CIAL MD V J Kurien, dignitaries, executives and mediapersons. Celebrities from film field, magicians and musicians will entertain the kids and the elders on board the flight. Air India will operate a chartered Boeing 747-400 aircraft having a capacity of 423 passengers for the unique journey, ‘Flight with Memories-AI 2011,’ AI executive head Michael Joseph has said. The AI has arranged Malayali crew members on board who will interact with the passengers and make the journey comfortable and relaxed, AI Deputy Manager (CC) Aby George said. The crew members will render free service.Rotary Club of Cochin Airport, the brain behind the unique programme, organises the air travel for the third consecutive year. The project for the underprivileged would normally cost over Rs 85 lakh, club president Scaria D Parackal said. The Rotary Club chose a few elder persons from different old age homes for the fight journey this year. Thirty students from different normal schools will join the physically and mentally challenged students on board as volunteers. They will assist differently abled students which will provide an opportunity for the normal students to understand the difficulties and needs of the poor handicapped and elder persons which will ensure the theme of the programme “The haves meet, understand and help the have-nots” Rotary Club secretary Santhosh Poovattil said.Casino Air Caterers and Flight Services (CAFS) general manager V B Rajan told ‘Express’ that the special passengers would be given gift hampers and a sumptuous lunch. The Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation will jointly sponsor the cost of the fuel for the air travel. Airport Authority of India, CIAL, State Bank of Travancore, CIAL Officers Association and CAFS will sponsor the novel project.The chartered AI Flight will depart from Kochi Airport at 11.30 am and head towards Kanyakumari, flying over the costal belt providing a bird’s eye-view of the Vivekananda Rock and Triveni Sangamam and return to Kochi. The flying time would be just over one hour, project coordinator Romilal said.Around 350 special passengers will reach Kochi airport on Sunday at 8.30 am. They will experience the normal process of check-in and security check prior to boarding the flight. In the security hold area, an array of the entertainment programmes such as magic show will be conducted. CIAL Officers Association president Sojan Koshy, SBT Manager Monachan and officials of Petroleum are on the forefront for the success of the programme.
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