On Thursday night, Air India announced the re-initiation of scheduled flights to and from Jeddah and Muscat following a safety assessment of the airspaces over Saudi Arabia and Oman.
The airline indicated that additional special ad-hoc flights to Dubai, Muscat, and Ras Al-Khaimah will take place on March 6 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers to India. Flights to Europe and North America continue to operate normally via alternative routes deemed safe by aviation authorities.
Earlier that day, the Tata Group-owned airline revealed plans to enhance its Asian network with new non-stop services launching between Delhi and Hanoi, as well as Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda), commencing in the June quarter.
Air India stated that the five-times-a-week Delhi–Hanoi service will start on May 1, complementing its current daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City. The carrier noted that this addition would offer travelers increased flexibility through “open-jaw” itineraries, allowing entry through Hanoi and exit via Ho Chi Minh City, or the other way around.
The Hanoi route will be serviced by Airbus A320neo aircraft in a three-class layout — business, premium economy, and economy — contributing an additional 7,028 seats to and from Vietnam each month.
Additionally, Air India will launch four weekly non-stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda), utilizing Boeing 787-8 aircraft to supplement its existing Delhi–Tokyo services.
“Japan and Vietnam have both become rapidly growing destinations for Indian travelers, while India’s economic and commercial connections with both countries continue to strengthen,” stated Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India.
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The airline mentioned that it has significantly expanded its Southeast Asia and Far East network since privatization, bolstered by partnerships including its codeshare agreement with All Nippon Airways for seamless connections from Tokyo to major Japanese cities.
(With Agency Inputs)
