Mangaluru, Apr 30: The Mangaluru International Airport has implemented a new policy regarding passenger announcements, shifting away from using the public address (PA) system for such notifications, airport officials said on Tuesday.

This change aims to cultivate a quieter environment for travellers, allowing them to utilise their time at the airport for various activities such as reading, conversing with loved ones, or attending to work commitments, they said.

According to officials, instead of PA announcements, passengers will now rely on the Flight Information Display System (FIDS) for updates regarding their flights, including gate changes and delays.

The FIDS screens are strategically placed both inside and outside the airport terminal, providing real-time information on arrivals and departures. Additionally, prominent display boards within the departure and arrival areas offer timely updates.

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Airport staff, including those at the 'May I Help You' Desk, customer service representatives, guest relations executives, and Pranaam staff, will be available to assist passengers with any inquiries.

Flight information will also be accessible at airline check-in counters and boarding gates. Airlines will notify passengers of any changes via SMS to their registered email and mobile numbers, ensuring a smooth travel experience.

According to the airport spokesperson, this initiative aims to enhance the overall travel experience for passengers, with full cooperation from airline partners. Passengers seeking further information can visit the airport terminal manager's office or contact their respective airlines. PA announcements will now be reserved for emergencies only.

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Beldanga (WB), Dec 22 (PTI): West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir on Monday floated a new outfit, Janata Unnayan Party, days after he was suspended by the TMC for laying the foundation stone for a Babri-style mosque in Murshidabad district.

Addressing a public meeting in Beladanga, Kabir named eight candidates that his new party will field in the 2026 assembly elections in the state.

Kabir, the MLA of Bharatpur, said he would contest the assembly polls from two seats, Rejinagar and Beldanga in Murshidabad.

"We can only tell you later how many seats we will be finally contesting," he told the gathering.

Kabir said his mission is to oust Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from power in the assembly polls, which will be due in less than six months.

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"Mamata Banerjee is no longer the same person I knew. She is beyond the reach of the common man," he alleged.

The BJP alleged Kabir was working to help the TMC return to power.

"Kabir will not be a factor in the next assembly polls. He will face the drubbing of the electorate along with his old friend TMC, with which he is still in touch in a clandestine manner. Both Kabir and his new party will be rejected by the people of Bengal," state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya claimed.

He claimed Kabir was attempting to split "BJP votes" in the assembly polls.

"In the wake of the situation in Bangladesh, people of Bengal will thwart Kabir's attempts and elect a strong nationalist force like the BJP, only which can defeat fundamentalists," he claimed.

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The TMC is yet to comment on Kabir's new party.

The TMC had suspended Kabir on December 4 after his announcement to build a Babri-style mosque triggered a massive row.

On December 6, the day the Babri Masjid was razed in Ayodhya in 1992, a defiant Kabir laid the foundation stone for the mosque at Rejinagar.

Kabir has had a tryst with most of the major political parties in the state over the last 10 years.

In 2015, he was "expelled" by the TMC for six years for criticising the CM and alleging that she was trying to make her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the "king".

He contested the 2016 assembly elections as an Independent from the Rejinagar seat, but lost to Congress candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury. He subsequently joined the Congress, which then had a huge presence in the district, but switched to the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP fielded him as its candidate in the Murshidabad Lok Sabha seat, and managed to secure the third spot after the TMC and Congress nominees. He then returned to the TMC and, in 2021, became the MLA of Bharatpur.