Nagpur Today: Malindo Air is certainly looking to add more Indian Cities on their network said the senior executives of Malindo Air, Karen Low and Pankul Arneja in an exclusive talk with Nagpur Today.
The Head of Travel Network & Customer Relations of Malindo Air, Karen Low said that she sees a lot of potential in the city of Nagpur. She found this region a virtually virgin territory with a lot of untapped tourism opportunities. Low added that they would certainly like the possibility of working closely with Nagpur to enhance and to bring travelers from Malaysia from the Gateways of Mumbai or Delhi to Nagpur.
Karen Low who hails from the southern state of Malaysia called Johorbahru took up the present responsibilities after gaining a wide knowledge in the field of aviation for 18 strong years.
She started her career with Malaysian Airlines as a Sales and Administrative Executive. She then set a new record (then) by becoming the first lady Station Manager of KLAI (This was a new airport in Malaysia then) of Royal Brunei Airlines. She went on to become the Country Manager of Malaysia for the Royal Brunei Airlines.
This was followed by Malindo Airlines at its inception in 2001-02. She started with the Sales and Ground Operations (Airport Start-up). She moved into Business Development, Travel Network, Customer Relations and Service Excellence.
Senior Manager Sales of Malindo Air, Pankul Arneja who is born and brought up in Ghaziabad near Delhi said that he started his career in Aviation Industry in India with United Airlines. After acquiring a degree in Travel and Tourism, he started as a Reservation Officer. From there he moved onto the Sales department with United States Airlines based out of Delhi. He shifted to the British Airways and looked after the Sales, Reservation and Customer Services.
At British Airways, he acquired skills in Global Distribution System (GDS) which is a software used by ticketing agents to make reservations.
This boosted his skills and experience and he shifted to Air Mauritius as a Sales Representative and eventually to Malindo Air right from its inception in India from October 2013 where he is presently functioning as a Senior Manager Sales.
While elaborating on the educational qualifications and other technical skills one required starting a career in Aviation Industry, both said that earlier IATA certification was a compulsory but not anymore. Graduation in any discipline accompanied by some diploma or certification course of 6 months or a year in Reservation and Ticketing will definitely help in getting into the aviation industry. Consistent hard work and regular updating of one’s skills will definitely help in going up the ladder. However, every Airline has their own skill updating and training programmes which help one to acquire requisite skills.
According to Karen Low, like any other Airlines, Malindo Air too follows all the laws and regulations required by the local and International Aviation Authorities.
Malindo Air has its Base Hub in Kuala Lampur.
In the domestic section they have 9 different destinations in two directions. In the West they have flights to Peninsular Malaysian destinations. In the East they have Sabah and Sarawak.
Internationally, Malindo has operations and flights to Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh, to Jakarta, Bali and Batam in Indonesia, to Delhi, Trichi, Mumbai and Ahmadabad (recently added) in India.
The preferred destinations in Malaysia, offered by Malindo Air are Kuala Lampur, Penang, Lankawi, Sabah & Sarawak.
What is special in Malaysia? Well this year is dedicated as “Visit Malaysia”. Karen Low is pretty knowledgeable about various other prominent facets of tourism and importance of various important features of Malaysia and the customs and culture too about which she speaks eloquently. She said that according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, from January 31, 2014 which is observed as the Chinese New year, this year is observed as the Year of the Horse. This year of the Horse comes once every 12 years. The next year of the Horse will be in 2026.
Malindo Air welcomed the denizens of the city to visit Malaysia
Pankul Arneja said that this region (Vidarbha) has a lot of potential. They are looking for tremendous increase in travelers from this part of the region in India to Malaysia. He would definitely like to work closely and to enhance Tourism Malaysia and mutually Tourism Maharashtra with specific attention to Vidarbha.
Karen Low added that the local Tourism Authorities should pay more attention to this region and to make the tourism spots in and around the city beautiful and inviting. They should educate the visitors both domestic and foreigners about the tourist possibilities around the city. Karen said that she found the city and the denizens were wonderful and very hospitable. She added that foreigners should be told about the historic monument like the Zero Mile Stone and how important it is the India. She added that MTDC should promote Nagpur as one of the Tourism Destinations that offer a glimpse of the Tiger Capital of the world. They should also promote Medical and Religious Tourism of this region.
By Samuel Gunasekharan. Pic by Amol Gajbhiye
Head-of-Travel-Network-Customer-Relations-of-Malindo-Air-Karen-Low-and-Senior-Manager-Sales-of-Malindo-Air-Pankul-Arneja
