NEW DELHI: On Friday, Jet Airways and IndiGo announced they would launch a number of additional flights to the Gulf economic hub of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The move means that Indian travelers will have more opportunities to make the short journey to the Gulf region, where both countries have seen massive business growth in recent years. Jet said it launched its second service between Delhi and Dubai on Friday, while the low-cost carrier IndiGo announced it would introduce its second daily direct flight from Mumbai and new daily direct flights between Thiruvananthapuram and Dubai from March 1. Jet's new flight to Dubai, which is a day service, would complement its night flight presently operating between the national capital and the financial hub of the United Arab Emirates. The airline has deployed its new Boeing 737-800 aircraft with twin seat configuration, 16 seats in Business and 138 in Economy, a statement from Jet Airways said, adding the flight (9W 546), with a full load of passengers, departed Delhi at 11:15 am. “We are happy to introduce a second frequency on the popular Delhi-Dubai sector which has seen a steady growth in traffic be it tourist or business travelers. This day time flight will provide easy connectivity for guests especially from North India flying to and from UAE and is expected to be equally popular with tourists,” Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer Jet Airways said in comments published by Press Trust of India. IndiGo, while announcing the new flights, said it would be offering introductory all return fare of Rs 11,998 on the new flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai and also on the second daily flight from Mumbai to Dubai. Aditya Ghosh, President, IndiGo said that there are strong trade and tourism ties between southern region of India and Dubai and travelers have requirements of low fares by an Indian airline. “We are absolutely delighted to announce the new daily and non-stop flight between Thiruvananthapuram and Dubai and the second daily and non-stop flight between Mumbai and Dubai from March 1,” he said. Bikyanews.com
