Air India Group Announces 30 Flights to West Asia on March 23
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New Delhi, March 22 (NationPress) The Air India group, which includes Air India and Air India Express, is set to operate a total of 30 flights to and from West Asia on March 23. This comes amid ongoing limitations on several routes, as detailed in an official airline statement.
Both airlines will maintain their regular operations to Jeddah, with a combined total of 10 flights between India and this Saudi city. Air India will provide one return flight from Delhi and Mumbai, while Air India Express will serve routes from Bengaluru, Kozhikode, and Mangaluru.
In addition to Jeddah, Air India Express plans to operate four flights to and from Muscat, covering routes from both Delhi and Mumbai, as well as four flights to and from Riyadh from Bengaluru and Kozhikode.
Alongside scheduled flights, the Air India group will run 12 non-scheduled flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, depending on slot availability and operational conditions. These flights have received the necessary approvals from both Indian and local regulatory bodies.
For UAE destinations, additional services are planned for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Air India will operate flights between Delhi and Dubai, while Air India Express will connect Delhi and Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, and Mangaluru to Sharjah.
However, the airline clarified that there will be no scheduled or ad hoc services to several locations, including Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain in the UAE, Salalah in Oman, Dammam in Saudi Arabia, and other cities such as Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, and Tel Aviv.
All other Air India flights to and from North America, Europe, Australia, and other regions will continue as scheduled.
Passengers whose flights are temporarily suspended can re-book without any additional fees or opt for a full refund. Air India urges travelers to use its website or contact customer support for help.
Passengers of Air India Express, especially those traveling from UAE locations, can re-book on extra commercial flights without incurring additional charges. Re-booking is also available through the airline's digital assistant on WhatsApp.
The airline group is proactively reaching out to affected passengers and is considering operating more ad hoc flights to destinations in West Asia if operational conditions allow.