Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
As restrictions ease down, airlines have begun to add more flights. In July, airlines added around 45 new flights across the country. Domestic carriers too that were forced to pause their network expansion due to the second wave of the pandemic, particularly in the peak summer season, are now looking to implement their plans, HT has learnt.
SpiceJet alone launched 42 new flights on its domestic and international network, which commenced operations from July 10. The airline launched the industry’s first flights on Surat-Jabalpur and Surat-Pune routes. It also connected Surat with Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Gwalior with Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune.
Non-stop return flights also commenced on Gwalior-Ahmedabad, Gwalior-Mumbai and Gwalior-Pune sectors along with flights on the Kolkata-Patna, Patna-Surat, Surat-Patna, Patna-Kolkata, Ahmedabad-Udaipur, Udaipur-Ahmedabad and Bengaluru-Kochi routes for the first time on its network.
India continues to ban international flights from March 23 last year till August 31, 2021. However, flights under the air bubble agreement, Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) and cargo flights are being operated.
Under the air bubble agreement, SpiceJet also commenced international flights on Kochi-Male-Kochi and
Mumbai-Male-Mumbai routes from July 22.
Shilpa Bhatia, chief commercial officer, SpiceJet, said, ‘As travel demand picks up and leisure travellers step out for those much-awaited short breaks, we are ensuring that multiple convenient flight options are available to some of the most sought after holiday destinations like Male. We see a great opportunity in connecting unserved markets to more cities with direct flights on our network.’
IndiGo also announced to operate direct flights from Jabalpur to Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Indore from August 20. The airline is also set to operate non stop flights to Bairelly from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore from August 20.
