Air India Express kicks off flight on Dhaka-Kolkata route today
Monday, 21 July 2008
When the country's aviation sector is facing tough time as local carriers are struggling to stay afloat amid skyrocketing fuel prices, an Indian company is set to launch its Dhaka-Kolkata flight today (Monday), reports UNB.
Air India Express will fly six days a week with its 186-seater Boeing 737-800 (there being no flights on Saturdays).
The operation between Dhaka and Kolkata is the latest addition to the company's regular services to Singapore and Bangkok. The carrier sees the prospect of a booming business here as a huge number of Bangladeshi passengers regularly travel to those destinations.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the flight that would reach Kolkata from Dhaka at 6 am would leave for Singapore at 6.50 am. It will return to Kolkata at 4 pm before starting for Dhaka at 5:10 pm.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays the plane will fly to Bangkok at 6:50 am after reaching Kolkata from Dhaka at 6 am. It will return at 1:20 pm and then fly to Dhaka.
The minimum one-way fare for a flight between Kolkata and Dhaka would be around Rs 3,000, including taxes.
The new development came as the country's oldest private sector carrier GMG Airlines, which earlier this year eyed an ambitious Tk 1350 crore turnover, is in deep trouble to continue international operations.
GMG said it has already suspended flights to four out of six destinations. Their flights to Kolkata and Kuala Lumpur remain operational.
The airline recently suspended its flights to Kathmandu and New Delhi. Earlier, it suspended flights to Dubai and Bangkok, known as lucrative destinations for any airline.
Best Air, another private sector airliner in Bangladesh, has also suspended its flights on Dhaka-Chittagong route for an indefinite period due to poor response from passengers and increasing fuel prices.
The officials of the Bangladeshi carriers said they had to curtail their routes because of the soaring prices of jet fuels.
Air India Express will fly six days a week with its 186-seater Boeing 737-800 (there being no flights on Saturdays).
The operation between Dhaka and Kolkata is the latest addition to the company's regular services to Singapore and Bangkok. The carrier sees the prospect of a booming business here as a huge number of Bangladeshi passengers regularly travel to those destinations.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the flight that would reach Kolkata from Dhaka at 6 am would leave for Singapore at 6.50 am. It will return to Kolkata at 4 pm before starting for Dhaka at 5:10 pm.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays the plane will fly to Bangkok at 6:50 am after reaching Kolkata from Dhaka at 6 am. It will return at 1:20 pm and then fly to Dhaka.
The minimum one-way fare for a flight between Kolkata and Dhaka would be around Rs 3,000, including taxes.
The new development came as the country's oldest private sector carrier GMG Airlines, which earlier this year eyed an ambitious Tk 1350 crore turnover, is in deep trouble to continue international operations.
GMG said it has already suspended flights to four out of six destinations. Their flights to Kolkata and Kuala Lumpur remain operational.
The airline recently suspended its flights to Kathmandu and New Delhi. Earlier, it suspended flights to Dubai and Bangkok, known as lucrative destinations for any airline.
Best Air, another private sector airliner in Bangladesh, has also suspended its flights on Dhaka-Chittagong route for an indefinite period due to poor response from passengers and increasing fuel prices.
The officials of the Bangladeshi carriers said they had to curtail their routes because of the soaring prices of jet fuels.