India’s flag carrier, Air India announced the start of its new daily flights to India on its expanding gulf route network. Beginning March 25th 2012, the airline will start its new service connecting Dubai to Visakhapatnam.
India’s national carrier, Air India announced its new daily flights from Dubai to Visakhapatnam. The airline is all set to start operating its new gulf route from March 25th 2012, online sources quoted a senior Air India official confirming the launch.
The new flight is a part of the enhanced fleet of aircraft that have been upgraded from 145-seater to 175-seater planes routing to South India destinations, Abhay Pathak, Air India’s regional manager Gulf, West Asia and Africa revealed.
The airline’s upgraded seating capacity of its carriers on gulf routes is sure to attract higher number of budget travellers who look for tickets on cheap flights to India.
Pathak, while speaking to PTI during an agency award function in Abu Dhabi, informed that the Air India’s services in the region have been improving.
He said, “Compared to last year, we have registered a growth in revenue of 25 per cent which is commendable considering the state of the industry in India and across the world.”
He further informed that the airline is servicing a total of 18 Indian destinations from Dubai airport.
“Most airlines in the Gulf region are creating a hub. Delhi is now emerging as a hub which is making seamless connection to Southeast Asia possible. The biggest challenge for us is to enhance revenue when there are so many players in the market”, Pathak said, noting that a lack of hub in India so far has not helped matters.
Gulf region that has been a flourishing operating ground for Air India is home to approximately 6 million Indian workers and the annual trade figures between India and Gulf exceed USD 100 billion.
Over the years, Air India has been a popular airline of choice for flights to India from the gulf regions for the Indians based in the Gulf region.
Pathak stated that the Gulf region is a steadily developing market and is gradually taking on the Europe and US markets.
While Air India remains the preferred choice for those looking to travel on a full service airline, Air India Express, Air India’s low cost subsidiary, is a preferred choice for holiday makers looking for cheap flight deals to travel to the Gulf region.